Immortal Star Fox
by MrMcStabson
Summary: Taking place a few months after Andross' demise (Star Fox Zero), Fox gets word that Star Wolf is attempting to do something drastic on a distant planet in order to start another threat in Lylat.
1. Chapter I

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter I

_Space is an endless void.  
_

_The blackness is only lit with the stars floating around and luminating anything that its light can hit. The only nearby object was a blue and green planet. The planet, named Corneria, itself is mostly in a constant place of peace. But that peace would disappear when the Mad Ape attacked._

_Corneria and the system, Lylat, was in danger of falling to the hands of Andross, a gifted scientist who conducted secret, inhumane and dangerous experiments. One of which caused an explosion that caused the deaths of hundreds, which ultimately led to his banishment to Venom, the farthest planet in Lylat. _

_Out of rage for those who banished him, he began to build his own army on Venom and conducted experiments on himself to become a shell of his former self. After gaining enough followers, he declared war against all of Lylat and for more than five years, caused chaos and death across the entire Lylat System._

_The Lylat System fought beside the Corneria Defense Force to drive back Andross and his army. When all hope was lost, a new light came in and brought back hope and gave Lylat a fighting chance. Lylat was put in the hands of the best group of mercenaries known to us, _Star Fox.

_The team consists of Fox McCloud, their heroic leader. Falco Lombardi, a hot-headed flyboy who will have be there when the going gets tough. Slippy Toad, a gifted mechanic and one of Fox's closest friends from his academy days. Peppy Hare, one of the first founders of Star Fox and the mentor for all three pilots. _

_Star Fox and the Cornerian Defense joined forces and drove back Andross' army and Star Fox turned the battle back to Andross' doorstep on Venom. With the heroics of Fox, he destroyed Andross and freed Lylat from his evil grasp. _

_Since then, we have been grateful to team Star Fox for their bravery and courage. If evil shall ever return, we will have Star Fox there to help us._

_We thank you Star Fox for your heroics._

* * *

The projector turned off and the room went black. Suddenly the lights turned on and blinded Fox, who was not ready and shielded his eyes. He groaned and began to look around the empty theater. He looked to his left where Peppy was sitting and to his right, both Falco and Slippy were sitting, with Slippy looking half asleep.

"So? What do you all think?"

Fox looked at the stage and saw a brown lab walking from behind the curtain. He looked excited to see the responses of each member of Star Fox. Slippy began to awake and felt awkward that he slept through half of the showing. Fox began to look to both his sides, waiting for a response from either teammate.

Falco started to stand up, "Can you change my intro to where I don't sound like I'm a dick?"

"Why? It's based on true events."

Falco beamed at Slippy, who gave him a sinister grin. "Why you green little…"

"Falco! Not now, please," said Fox with a tired voice. He began to stretch and yawn.

Peppy stood up as well. "Well, I'm not one to be in theatrics," he began. "But, if it pleases you, I think you captured our team perfectly." Peppy glared at the brown lab, his tail wagging furiously.

"What about you Mr. McCloud? What do you think?"

Fox stood there, mouth open with no response coming out. "Well, I um… Like Peppy said, I'm not that big on theatrics and well." He tried to find the right words to where he didn't want to sound like he wasn't interested in the film.

"I think it's um, good." Fox looked at the lab and saw his tail began to slow down. His ears drooped at little. Fox took it upon himself to go up to the lab on stage. "Listen kid, I think you did a phenomenal job in how the war was going. I know that it was difficult especially since it started here on Corneria. I don't think you told us your name, kid."

The lab perked up a little and looked at Fox, who had his hand on his shoulder. "My name is James, sir."

Fox gave him a sympathetic gaze, "That's a nice name, James. Here, think of it as a thank you from Star Fox." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a Star Fox pin emblem the size of his palm. Fox pinned the emblem to James' jacket. "You're a good kid, James."

James looked up at Fox and gave him a big hug, "Thank you for saving us."

Fox was surprised and gave the lab a hug back. He pulled away and patted him on the shoulder. "We need to go. It was a pleasure to see your work." Fox looked back at his teammates and they all walked out of the theater.

"Good to see you handle the celebrity part well," said Peppy. Fox sighed and slummed his shoulders a little. Peppy wrapped an arm around his shoulder Fox and Fox did the same.

All four stopped at the theater door, wondering if there was anyone waiting on the outside. Slippy was the brave one and cracked the door a little to see outside. "Oh yeah, they're outside. What's the call captain?"

Fox just put his head down and sighed. "Well, it's do or die here. Let's go."

With that, Slippy opened the door and was the first to exit, followed by Falco, Peppy, and finally Fox. The entire crowd outside the theater began to mob the team. Pictures were being taken all around them from fans and media. People running to them asking for autographs and selfies. The team was pushing themselves through and wondering where security was to escort them.

There were able to push themselves out of the grasps of the crowd and out the front door of the cinema. Word must have traveled fast about the Star Fox team was watching a film, not actually a film just a short flick, about their heroics. Security finally was able to reach them and kept back to scurry of fans and media alike.

When Star Fox finally made their way out of the cinema, another round of avid fans and media were already waiting for them.

"Oh, you got to be kidding me," exclaimed Fox.

"Get used to it Fox," began Peppy. "Because this is going to be your life until our next mission."

Fox gulped and made their way past the fans with security now escorting them. They made their way to a small limo with the Cornerian Defense Force emblem. They entered one after another and the limo took off.

"C'mon Fox, lighten up. I think I could get used to living in the limelight." Falco said with his wings behind his head, lounging back. Slippy began to poke around the limo and opened some compartments. Most of them were empty, except for the liquor cabinet. Slippy took a bottle of Scotch out and Peppy gave him a cold, stern look.

"C'mon Pep, we deserve this." Slippy began to gather four glasses and began to pour an equal amount into each glass and handed them out. All four members had a glass in hand.

"Didn't think you'd be up to drinking, Slip." Falco raised a brow to him and Slippy just grinned back. "Haven't had one in a while and my father says that Corneria always has them hidden in here. Might open one up to celebrate our accomplishment."

Fox cleared his voice, "Like Peppy said, this is our life now. Might as well have some fun while we're at it." Fox raised his glass and the other members did the same. "To Star Fox."

"To Star Fox," the others exclaimed, and each took a small sip. "You think we'd finally get some time to ourselves now that Andross is gone," Slippy asked as he took another sip.

Fox thought about how he would spend time on Corneria now that the one threat that had been plaguing his life was now gone. Retire, not a chance. He was still young and had many more years of flying left in him. Maybe Corneria had some jobs they could take for easy money.

He looked out the tinted windows and saw the skyline of Corneria City. Many of the skyscrapers he thought were enormous when he was a kit seemed small to what he experienced flying around Lylat. The waning light of Solar started to descend on the horizon and skyline began to bask in the dusk with a beautiful orange engulfing the buildings.

Fox let out a small sigh as he looked back to his teammates seeing them have a laugh as Fox barley tuned in to hear the story Peppy was telling. Fox put his glass in the cupholder and leaned his head back against the headrest and closed his eyes, getting a few z's before they met with the General of the Corneria Defense Force.

Before he drifted into a small slumber, he had one small thought that formed a small tear in his left eye.

_Wherever you are, I know you are watching over me and still protecting me. I did all that I could and yet you saved me. Thank you and I miss you Dad. _

* * *

A/N: So, yeah. A new fic that I thought up for the past couple of months. I never had the time to try and start it until a couple of weeks ago. Even then, writer's block can get in the way a lot. I'm just happy that I'm finally getting the inspiration that I needed, although it will be difficult due to college starting again. School first, fic second.

But I already have a few chapters in writing and trust me, they will be more elaborate than this one. Once I started writing the others, I couldn't stop, and then new ideas emerged for future chapters. So, if you like what I've written in just a thousand words, I got more in the works.

I kinda want to do a weekly releases to keep it steady, but I'm still unsure. But I'll keep writing and revising until they're ready. Reviews are always welcome.

Until then, Stabby out.


	2. Chapter II

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter II

"The station is almost complete. How should we proceed with concealing it, Wolf?"

Wolf O'Donnell received a transmission from within the station and tapped his head. Tracing the white line of hair on the top of his head and tilted it back before coming to rest on the back of his neck. He sat back up and looked at the green chameleon in the transmission who was orbiting the station with his ship.

"We still have resources from Andross' labs. Reflectors will be good enough. You're the best man for this job, Leon. Don't screw it up."

Leon gave Wolf a small salute and grin before he ended the transmission. Wolf leaned back in his chair and stared out the window of his office on the station. It was supposed to be the second base of operation after Andross would conqueror Lyalt, but those plans were cut short due to his death by Star Fox.

The new station would be the headquarters of Star Wolf, for the time being. It was hard hiding a station of this size, but due to the millions of rocks on the belt of Meteo, they were able to conceal and complete the station. Wolf thought that they would inherit a lot of resources that Andross provided them but realized that if they kept the mostly annoying nephew of Andross, Andrew Oikonny, they would force him to give Andross' resources to Star Wolf so they could scrape by.

Andrew, the scrawny white ape, thought that he was being treated unfairly and said countless times that he would leave and exact revenge for those who killed his uncle. However, he would be stopped in his tracks by Wolf who threatened Andrew every time that no one would follow his lead and that he would die the moment he would even dare enter Corneria.

Wolf would always say that his service was much needed, even though they both new that wasn't true. Wolf saw that Pigma Dengar, a slimeball pig who betrayed Star Fox long ago, was more experienced in flying and only allowed Andrew to join at the request of Andross.

But now that Andross was gone, Andrew seemed more annoying than usual and Wolf was on the verge of snapping at the ape. Wolf stared out the window at Solar, the bright star that gave light to all planets in Lylat. He deep thoughts were cut off when the PA system announced the arrival of a pilot.

"**WOLFEN APPROACHING. ACCESS CODE AO1-15 DOCKING."**

Wolf let out a long sigh as it was the one person he was in deep thought about. He sent Andrew out to gather more supplies from his uncle's lab and realized he took longer than his normal time. He exited his office and started his way to the docking station.

Once he entered, he saw that Pigma was already beginning the docking sequence and Andrew's Wolfen was beginning to enter. "Took the ape long enough," said Pigma. "Maybe we ought to show him his place again. I'm not responsible if the station turns out to be shit because of his sorry ass!"

The Wolfen completed the docking sequence and the canopy opened and Andrew sprung out with papers and pictures dropping everywhere. The ape's eyes glared at Wolf with an Andross style grin across his face. He began to run up the steps and his grin turned into a pointed smile.

Wolf was surprised to see Andrew this excited about anything. He stared directly into his eyes and saw a revelation come across Andrew. "You won't believe what I found!" He began to make his way down the corridor, with Wolf and Pigma following behind.

He entered Wolf's office and set the papers and photos down on his desk. "I can't believe it! This will save him! Look at this Wolf!" Andrew began to scatter the papers and photos in order. Each had a number above so that it was easier for Andrew to arrange them. Wolf looked over the papers and saw that it was Andross' research.

"You're going to have to explain all of this, you know?" Wolf looked the papers and photos. Some dated back to at least 10 years before the Lylat War, before Andross was banished to Venom. "This was all premeditated, Wolf. He was certain if he were to die, this would bring him back."

Wolf and Pigma were still unsure and both made a face of equal disbelief. Andrew began explaining in full detail before they would be enraged by his actions.

"Okay, so, Uncle Andross began to research his plans and experiments on Corneria, right. Turns out, he had a side project that I'm guessing no one knew about. He would preserve himself in a casing and use that knowledge to be reborn."

Wolf began to show his fangs, "That still doesn't explain anything! And why the hell did you take so long!"

Andrew began to stammer before he regained himself, "Well, I-I made a quick s-stop at a local planet." Wolf fangs were being exposed more and his claws began to retract out, "This better be important or I'm going to rip out your throat for wasting the team's time."

"This planet is where he will be resurrected. You heard of Sauria? That planet that's just filled with useless dinosaurs." Wolf began to calm down a little as Andrew was finally getting to his point. "What about it?"

"Uncle Andross was researching a temple there. There are spirits there that wander the planet and are essentially the life of the planet." He grabbed a photo from the mess and held it to Wolf. The blue spirit in the photo had a large head and tentacles emerging from the back of its head. He saw that this was one of Andross' old photos.

"So, overall, this planet has a temple in which we could resurrect Uncle Andross. He left a conscious behind so that we could use it to create a new body for him. He will be reborn again!"

Wolf thought that Andrew had lost it. Pigma however saw something that he couldn't take his eyes off. "Hey ape, why are you pregnant?"

Wolf looked at Pigma about to scold him for a badly timed joke but looked at Andrew and didn't notice a large bulge with his zipped-up jacket. He began to pull the zipper down and a purple light began to emerge from the jacket. Once it was all the way down, Andrew caught a glass orb, the size of a basketball, into his hands. The orb held a brain that was swimming in a purple fluid and lighting shooting from it.

"This is him. This is Uncle Andross."

Wolf with his one good eye, had it open all the way. Staring at the orb which held Andross' brain. "This is what he preserved. Before they killed him, this is what he left behind. His knowledge is still here. He hid it on the surface of Venom, we just need a body to give it life." Andrew had one of the wicked smiles that made even Wolf back off.

"And who did you have in mind," Wolf asked.

"Who better than the person who killed him, such irony will be foretold for millenniums. Lure him in, kill him and use his body to give Uncle Andross new life," Andrew shouted with a small cackle.

Wolf knew exactly who he was talking about and crossed his arms, "Easier said than done."

Andrew gave Wolf a toothy grin, "That's where all of you come in." He set Andross' brain on Wolf's desk and brought out the dry erase board Wolf had in his office. He began to draw out a plan that involved using the planet as a diversion to get Fox out of Corneria. "He's out of commission, but if we were to get him out there with an attack and lure him to the surface, we can go for the kill there and drag his body to the temple and boom! Uncle Andross!"

Wolf knew that Andrew's plans were usually short and had no structure and problem solving behind them. But he gave it some thought but was uncertain about using Fox as the host of Andross' new body. He disliked Fox, no doubt, but thought he didn't deserve something as gruesome as this.

"Did you have anyone else besides McCloud?" Wolf was persistent to change his mind on a host body.

"No," Andrew shouted, "he deserves to die for what he did to my uncle. It's the ultimate form of humiliation for him, his friends, and all of Lylat. He needs to pay, and you can't convince me out of it."

Pigma finally spoke after listening to Andrew's plan. "As long as Andross pays us double, no triple, for bringing him back from the dead, I think we could pull this off. Always hated that stupid fox. Though, he may be more tolerable if he was Andross. Count me in, ape."

Wolf was in an inner conflict, he wanted Fox gone and humiliated, but not to this extent. There was no way to stop Andrew from stopping his plan, he would've gone with it without the permission from Wolf. "Fine. But we need to see what this planet is so we can get a good ambush."

Andrew nodded and began out of Wolf's office. "It's the same as Corneria, grass and shit like that. There is a forest area around the temple that one of us could hide in while the others lead him to the ground. You always want me gone, so say you finally got rid of me and I'll be the one to end him." Andrew said this with a growl in his voice.

Wolf gave him a stare and scoffed at the idea, knowing that Andrew would find a way to screw up everything. He started down the flight of steps that leads to their Wolfens.

"**WOLFEN APPROACHING. ACCESS CODE LP11-16 DOCKING."**

Leon flew in and docked his Wolfen and jumped down to the floor. Wolf, Pigma, and Andrew walked in and began to unlock the docking for their ships.

"Ah, Wolf. The reflectors are staring to be installed and the…"

"Leon, get back in. We're going on a small trip," said Wolf as he the others started into the ships and Leon looked back at the three with disbelief. The chameleon went back into his ship, mumbling under his breath, "Why, thank you, Leon. The station looks much better, Leon." He settled into his ship as the countdown for the launch began and soon, all four ships were jettisoned out to the distant planet named Sauria.

* * *

A/N: Mom look! I'm writing plot. Second chapter up, and still on the fence if I want to upload either weekly or twice a week, meaning I would have to double down on writing chapters more frequently. But, I am a good few ahead so it probably won't be much of a bother to me. Other than that, reviews are always welcomed to help me become a better writer. Taking a creative writing class, so I think it will help me flesh out this story a little bit.

Upon closer examining of my fic, I've decided to change the rating from T to M.

Until then, Stabby out.


	3. Chapter III

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter III

The Corneria Defense Force headquarters was no more than a mile outside of Corneria City. Such a base needs room for the number of soldiers and armory they possessed. Fox looked out the limo's window as it began to exit the highway. He stared at the towering 100-story building that housed most of Corneria's armed forces. The tallest building in all Corneria has aged quite a bit since its construction finished almost 15 years ago.

The limo stopped at the gate and the avian driver flashed his security badge and the security officer at the gate began his way to end of the limo. Fox saw him approaching and lowered the window down.

The husky security guard leaned down and studied the occupants in the limo.

"Identifications."

All four Star Fox members took out there Cornerian issued IDs and gave them to the husky. He scanned each member's photo and faces closely, then gave them back to each of them once he was finished.

"You're all clear."

He then gave the hood and couple of hits to alert the driver they were all clear.

The driver pulled up to the front entrance and the avian exited the limo and jogged to the Peppy's side to open the door. Peppy was the first to exit followed by Falco, Slippy and Fox. Once Fox exited, he saw a row of five soldiers on either side of the entrance, giving them a salute as they began to walk in the building.

Fox really wasn't one for theatrics. All of this was the act of Pepper and he knew it well. Fox just gave a small sigh as they entered the building and Peppy again wrapped his arm around Fox's shoulder.

"Don't get so down about all this, Fox. Your dad probably would've been in the same regarding Pepper's shows." Fox gave a small smile and looked at his fellow teammates.

"He does like to drag out stuff like this for a while. But then again, I think we still need to thank him for allowing us to go out and ending this war. Plus, we should get a huge bonus for taking out Andross."

They continued down the hallway to one of the elevators and Peppy pushed the up button to call for one to pick them up. They stood in silence before Fox sighed and spoke up, "Hopefully, we'll finally get to have a break before we head back up."

"Why? You waiting to see someone, Foxy?" Falco gave Fox a small grin and he just looked back with annoyance.

"Maybe he is."

The feminine voice was very seductive and gave everyone a small jump. They turned around to the source of the voice and saw a pink feline with a gold earring in her left ear and deep blue eyes.

"K-Katt! What're you doing here?" The blue avian looked at her shockingly.

Katt eyed Falco and watched him intensely. Almost as if she was waiting for an opportunity to strike. Fox, Slippy, and Peppy saw a bead of sweat form on the sides of Falco's temples. Fox cleared his throat and asked the same question.

"So, Katt. What brings you here?"

She finally let go of her gaze and turned to Fox. "Well, I was just roaming around Solar when I got a transmission from CDF. They wanted to commend me for my efforts in helping you all in Fortuna. Guess that old hound's got a soft spot for me."

She slowly approached Fox and gave him a sly grin. "I also need to properly thank you for getting me out of that mess in Zoness. Who knows what that dreaded Andross would have done with me." She stopped a in front of him. Fox stared wide-eyed at her with a small blush appearing on his cheeks.

"Y-Yeah, it was nothing. I mean, I was just doing my job."

Fox could smell her perfume she was wearing. It took a lot of restraint to not cough from it burning his nose. Fox was caught off guard when she wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him close for a bear hug. Katt felt his back get tense from her hugging him. Fox's face was beating red and he looked at each of his teammates.

Slippy had a big smile, seeing his close friend being acknowledge as the hero he his. Peppy wasn't fazed, he just knew it was just a friendly gesture. Falco, however, looked red under all that blue. If Fox had to guess, he figured that he was a tad bit jealous. Fox felt Katt let go and she went back to a more respectable position.

Fox's blush was starting to fade away and gave Katt a small node. "You're welcome." It was all he said and Katt gave him a sweet smile.

"If you two are done being mushy and all, it's my turn with Fox."

That sentence threw Fox off guard, but it could only have been said by someone he knew would make some crass statement as that.

"Bill," shouted Fox.

The grey bulldog came up to Fox, they both clasped their hands and wrapped their free arm around each other in a sort of brotherly embrace.

"Don't tell me he invited you here to," asked Fox jokingly.

Bill let out a small laugh. "Firstly, he's my boss. So, I gotta do what he says. Secondly, he said you would be here. Couldn't wander around Corneria without saying hey to a good friend.

Bill turned to the other members of Star Fox and Katt and individually shook their hands and thanked them for sacrificing themselves for the sake of Lylat. The elevator finally arrived after a few beats and opened, spewing out other officials and business savvies that occupied it before.

All six of them made their way in the circle elevator and Fox pushed for floor 100. The elevator began to rise and the glass window behind emerged with a shot of the hexagon plaza. Six walkways converged to a central hub with a hologram of the current state of Corneria and Lylat. Flags from the different planets that are affiliated with Corneria were hanging on the balconies of the hexagon.

The elevator ride was mostly silent, with the occasional beep from the monitor reminding them how many floors they had left. When they finally reached the 100th floor, the doors slid open to a long room with a red carpet draped to the long door at then end. As they began to walk down, the portraits of former Cornerian generals were on the walls.

When they reached the end of the hallway, they were greeted by a golden retriever sitting at a reception desk. Two white bulldogs stood at the door, each with an assault rifle in hand. Fox approached the golden retriever at the desk. She looked up from her computer and glared at Fox. The retriever gave off a welcoming smile.

"How may I help you," she asked.

"General Pepper called for all of us to be here," Fox responded. "Is he available to see us?"

"Give me a moment. I'll see if his other appointment is done." She began to type at her computer and pick up the phone.

Fox leaned on the desk and began to tap his fingers. He looked back at his teammates who were silently waiting the receptionist's response.

"They're here, sir. Yes, all six of them."

Fox looked at the bulldogs guarding the door and saw them staring straight at the elevator. He sometimes wondered how they could stay stationary for so long. Fox would be on edge if he had to stay still for more than five minutes. He turned his attention back at the receptionist.

"Yes sir." The golden retriever hung up the phone and looked back at Fox. "He's ready to see you." Fox gave her a small nod and smile then took his hand off the desk. He turned to his teammates and they followed Fox to the door.

Fox felt a something in his right hand and opened it to see a crumpled piece of paper in it. He didn't have any paper on him and curiously opened it. He saw a phone number on it with a name, _Elizabeth_, followed by _XOXO_ and a heart. Fox realized the receptionist sleight of hand him when he had his hand on the desk. He shook his head and sighed as he put it in his front jacket pocket.

The bulldogs opened the doors for them, and they entered the general's office. It was large and oval in design. The windows behind the desk had a panoramic view of Corneria City. The office was dimly lit with a white hue emitting from the florescent lights. Fox could see the general standing at his desk, the old hound looked up and saw the fearless leader who killed Lylat's biggest threat.

"Fox," he said with no emotion in his voice.

"General Pepper," Fox said in return, with no emotion.

As professional as they were, they couldn't keep a straight face and both the fox and the hound began to form a smile. Fox approached Pepper and gave the old hound a salute. Pepper returned the salute and gave Fox a big hug. Fox returned the hug and Pepper gave him a few pats on the back.

The embrace lasted a few seconds before they backed off. Fox saw the age in Pepper's eyes. Seeing so many men and women who died from Andross' actions put a lot of pressure on Pepper to end his tyrannical rampage. There were times when he thought Andross had the better hand, especially when finally saw that Andross had Corneria's teleportation device that he was building during his time on Corneria. Andross used it to teleport Pepper to him on Venom and Fox followed before the portal closed. Pepper gave one final plea to Fox and the rest is history.

Pepper smiled at the once shy and lonely fox. The time where he and Peppy delivered the news that his father wasn't returning gave him a gash in his heart. Both his parents were gone, and Fox was raised by Peppy and Pepper kept in close contact with the two. Fox and Pepper's friendship quiclky grew as Pepper saw the noble James in the small tod. He thought he would make a fine pilot within the ranks of the CDF, but was rightfully respectful when Fox left the academy to reform Star Fox. How little did he know that they would save the entire Lyat System from calamity.

"So glad all of you could make it. I wanted to thank you again for your service and the amount you sacrificed for the greater good for Corneria and for Lylat." The rest of the group approached the general and gave him a hearty handshake.

"Yes, so good. Although, let's not beat around the bush to much, general. They still need to know what their sacrifices amounted to in the end." The rough and smoky voice came from the chair in front of Pepper's desk.

Fox didn't see the black rottweiler sitting down when they walked in. Fox sighed and turned to the man, "Colonel Fetcher."

The colonel began to stand, puffing his chest out to show the patches on his dark blue military uniform. Fox could sense a great deal of hostility everytime he was in a room with him. Though mercenary work was contracted, it meant that it put another squadron in Fetcher's path. Another obstacle to leap over during heated battles during the war.

While following formations and strict plans put out by the general and fellow officers, Star Fox would show up and fly like all is well. The colonel would have discussions with Pepper in private about the use of Star Fox in battle, but Pepper stated that they could always use a second team to help in combat and to be thankful that they weren't fighting opposite of them.

But it put a considerable amount of hate from Fetcher's units, thus making Fox enemy number one in Fetcher's eyes. But Pepper would insist to put his grudges behind for the greater good for Corneria.

Fox and Fetcher's stand-off was interrupted by Pepper. "Come now, Dean. We mustn't let our hate cloud our gratitude and thanks to them. You units did a fine work out there, as much as Star Fox's part."

Fetcher looked at Pepper before back at Fox and forcing a smile. He walked up to him and stuck out his hand. Fox began to bring his out and was met with a bone-crushing grip. "Thank you for your service to Corneria." He let go and began his way out of Pepper's office, not batting an eye to the other five bodies in the room.

"Stick up his own end, isn't it," said Falco once he was out of the room.

"Falco," said Pepper, sternly. "I understand he is not in good terms with Star Fox. But he has done numerous acts towards the safety of Lylat. Fetcher helped suppress the rest of Andross' forces after you went to Meteo. He did his best after the attacks here on Corneria City. Though it wasn't enough when Andross sent everything our way."

Pepper then began to lighten the mood and brought out small tray carrying glasses and a dark-brown liquid in a decanter. "Corneria's finest whiskey. For Lylat's finest defenders." Pepper began to fill the glasses with an equal amount and distributed them to the six bodies individually.

"To Bill Grey. A noble leader and without a doubt, one of our best pilots." He handed a glass to Bill.

"To Katt Monroe. Though a nuisance at first, she showed her true colors in a desperate time in our system." He handed a glass to Katt.

"To Slippy Toad. A gifted mechanic and a good eye on enemies _and_ liquor." He handed a glass to Slippy.

"To Peppy Hare. An old friend and being a father to three grown children."

"Hey," Fox, Falco and Slippy shouted in unison. Pepper just gave a hearty chuckle. He handed a glass to Peppy.

"To Falco Lombardi. Though cocky and thick-headed, you're never one to back from a fight for the good." He handed a glass to Falco. He closed his eyes, took in a deep breath and then shook his head as he kept his inner thought towards the general to himself.

"And finally, to Fox McCloud. A gifted pilot. A born leader. And the Hero of Lylat." He handed a glass to Fox.

Everyone had a glass in hand. Pepper raised it and everyone followed.

"To all those who are here and not here, Lylat is at peace. And we thank your sacrifice. To Lylat!"

"To Lylat!" All six of them said together and they all sipped their drinks. Fox placed the glass on Pepper's desk and sat down in the chair that Fetcher was in. He sank in a little as the rottweiler's imprint was still there. Fox didn't want to take to much time off from flying because he knew Corneria would need their services for many escort and neutralization missions, but it would be a nice earned vacation. He was hoping that he could about the city and explore more of what it had to offer.

"What's got you so down, Foxy?"

Fox looked to his right and saw Katt sitting on the desk, arms crossed with the glass still in hand.

"It's nothing," he replied. "Just lost in deep thought."

Katt just stared at him and took another sip from her glass. Fox looked back and saw the others listening to stories told by Bill and Pepper, laughing occasinally and Peppy retelling some of their adventures in the war. Fox looked back at Katt, who was still staring intesnly at him.

"Any plans after this, Foxy?" It sounded like she was trying to push information from him.

"Well, I was hoping to take a stoll in the city and just seeing what's changed since we've been here." He looked out the window and saw the lights of Corneria City glowing brightly against the black-blue sky.

"Hoping to find someone. I'll be honest, that receptionist was a real cutie." She then tapped the pocket on the jacket she was wearing. Fox realized what she was referring to and looked down in embarrasment. Katt sighed and lightly kicked him on his shin. Fox looked back up.

"Go for it," Katt said with a grin.

"I don't know." Fox rested his chin on his hand and took his gaze towards Pepper's bookcase. Katt rolled her eyes.

"Still heartbroken over Fara, aren't we? Fox. Get over her. You broke it off, and she moved on. You need to do the same."

As much as Fox didn't want to, it was hurting him. To break it off before he left to fight the war was tough, but to hear she found someone else only a few months later did not sit well with him. It almost cost him a wing in a dogfight agaisnt Venom forces and after that, Peppy went to Fox's office and gave him a stern talking. He made a grown up decision and he has to move on with that mentally now. Fox didn't think much about her after that, but now that they have this free time, he thought that he could go out and try again.

"I'll help you out," she said.

"Really. You?"

"Why not. I want to help..." She put the glass down, interlocked both her hands and put them under her chin. She then used a mockingly dreamy voice and contiuend the sentence. "_The Hero of Lylat__ find_ _love_."

Fox scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"You know women would throw themselves on you in an instant." She snapped her fingers at the end of the statement.

"I'm not like that," he responded quickly. He had a face of disapproval at Katt's remark.

"Yeah, whatever you say. Tomorrow, I'll take you to a place where I know you'll hit it off."

"But-"

"No need. I'm happy to be a service." Katt grabbed her drink and got off the table. As she walked by, she dragged a claw from his wrist to his shoulder. Fox shivered at that and then looked back at Katt, who joined the others converstaion. He saw Katt bump her hip against Falco's and whipered something in his ear. Fox sighed as he turned back to the window and out to Corneria City. He lighlty shook his head and grabbed his glass from Pepper's desk. He looked at the ice that was halfway melted and back out the window.

He thouhgt he was still young to think about that kind of life. Yet, he knew that it would come faster than he wanted it to. He closed his eyes and tried to envision himself with a partner that he wanted to be with, but none came to mind. He opened his eyes and back down at his drink, swirling it around. He didn't hesitate and downed the whole drink in three gulps. He grunted as he stood up and placed the glass back on the desk. He walked to the window and coninuted to stare out at the city, wondering if his someone was somewhere in this city.

* * *

A/N: Mom look! I made an original character. DO NOT STEAL HIM! Katt trying to get Fox in the game, huh. Maybe if he looks at the stars, he'll find his path crystal clear.

So, I'm trying to have a upload of 5 pm CST. So far, I have not lived up to that. I said that I started this fic so I need to be consistent with it. So Tuesdays at 5 CST are going to be my usual upload times, in case something else happens.

This was all over social media on Sunday, but I wanted to say that being a fan of sports, particularly football and basketball, I was very heartbroken at the sudden death of Kobe Bryant. Being a Spurs fan, we hated the Lakers come playoff time, but I respected Kobe and his play style. It's just one of those things you can't explain, especially since his daughter was also with him. Take everyday for what it's worth and hug someone you love. With that being said, RIP Mamba.

Until then, Stabby out.


	4. Chapter IV

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter IV

Star Wolf began their descent in the mysterious planet known as Sauria. It wasn't that far from Sector X, one of the areas that Andross used as a secret area for research. Wolf would make a few stops around the sector and would see the planet a couple of times, but never gave it any thought as it was filled with dinosaurs.

They began to break through the atmosphere as heat from the descent began to manifest on the nosecone. Once they broke through, Wolf looked at the surroundings and saw a vast amount of forestry and rivers that ran through to the horizon. The orange rise of Solar began its cycle for the planet and the morning dew was fogging the Wolfen's windows. Wolf turned his heater to the windows and patches of hot air began to evaporate the fog off.

Wolf began to look for a clearing, however, Andrew took the lead and radioed in the comms. "There's a small area where we can all land in. Just follow me." Andrew staring picking his speed and the rest of the team followed behind. After about six or seven minutes of flying, Andrew began circling around a small crater that was blasted about four or five times.

"Oikonny. What did you do here," asked Wolf.

"Had to make some room for myself and us. Didn't really want to walk all this way." Andrew began to descend into the crater that he made, and the rest of Star Wolf followed. Once all four members were stationary, they opened their hoods and jumped out to the uneven grounds of rocks remained from Andrew's blasting.

"I must say, quite an intriguing planet this is. You think Corneria reaches even out here?" Leon reached back into his ship to get out a small datapad and began to tap on it. He began scanning for any signs of life in the area with a heat signature. The datapad's signature returned no life around them and signaled all clear.

"Alright. This way. The temple is outside of the forest." Andrew, again, took the lead and the rest of Star Wolf followed behind. Andrew had a smile the entire time they walked out of the forest. Wolf and Pigma didn't have any emotions whatsoever. Leon was still scanning around for any lifeforms, as they would be considered threats to what they were trying to do.

In the distance and far from Leon's scanning range, a figure was following them. It kept a reasonable distance as to not be detected by its scanner. The figure had looked at the Wolfens when they landed and snarled. It recognized that it was the same ship that made this crater and the white ape who was responsible for it. The figure reached down to its waist and pulled out a golden staff from its holster. The figure extended the tip of the staff began to glow a light blue. The figure used the staff to vault itself in the trees. It was agile and used the surroundings it was familiar with to conveniently hide. The figure swung to a nearby large tree with large branched that supported its weight. The figure looked down at Star Wolf and tried its best to study each individual body to a T.

The figure was not quick enough to study each face and Leon's tracker began to emit a small beeping signal to his left. Leon turned to face the dot's location and looked up to the area that the dot was originating from. He saw branches that looked to be conveniently covering the portion of the large tree. Leon began to approach the dot and it beeped faster.

"Someone's up there." Leon took out his blaster and without hesitation shot into the bush.

There was a beat of silence before the dot went blank and the tracker began to sweep the area again for any other lifeforms. Nothing fell from the bush and the smoke cleared to reveal the outline of the blaster. The bush had a small flame the crackled for a while before it extinguished. Wolf quickly walked over to Leon's place and grabbed his shoulder hard and turned him around.

"Are you trying to get us caught?" Teeth gritted and his red eye beaming into Leon's soul.

"It was just a caution shot. If anything is following us, it knows not to mess with us now." Leon sounded prideful with that statement. But Wolf wasn't having any of it. Wolf looked to the area to where Leon shot and looked around the surrounding area for any sign of something or someone following them.

"C'mon Wolf! We still have a ways to go!" Andrew started to walk again, not wanting to slow down any progress they already started. Wolf looked back and Leon before turning around the walking with Pigma. Leon let out a small, but silent, exhale before we caught up with his team.

The embers from the bush began to reignite with the wind. The small fire began to grow on the bush but was quickly put out by the figure, stomping on the branches to put them out. The figure thought about using the staff, but decided that the noise would draw the ruffians back to its location. Once the fire was put out, did the figure bear its teeth and a low growl came out of it muzzle. It then continued to follow them to the temple, staying ahead of them to monitor their every move.

* * *

"Arg! How much farther, ape? I'm starting to feel like I'm roasting over here!" Pigma was complaining about the rising temperature as Solar began rising higher into the sky. Andrew's face contorted into a grim snarl as they rounded another tree cluster.

"This planet supposedly holds spirits up in the temple. Those who died here live on in the so called 'afterlife'. I figured that if these dinosaurs had a brain, they'd believe in something stupid as that." Andrew began to cackle as they approached the old temple.

"So, the dinosaur's worship at this temple," Leon asked, with a peak of interest in his voice.

Andrew rolled his eyes, "Yeah, if they have a god to worship. Uncle Andross' papers weren't translated to the fullest. So, just guessing at that one."

Once they finally reached the end of the forest, they were standing in an open field that had a path leading straight to the temple in question. Wolf looked and saw a flight of stairs that led to the opening. An archway with the ancient Dino language was inscribed to the arch. Two spires emerged from either side of the corners and a dome made of glass was covering the top of the temple.

"This is it. The Temple of Krazoa. Though, this ain't the main area of worship. That place is Krazoa Palace. This is just an easy access for those brain dead, four-legged abominations." Andrew finished his explanation and began to walk up the steps.

"This is something I'll tell ya," admitted Wolf. With his one eye, he was taking in the marvelous temple. He noticed a round stained glass window above the archway. He couldn't tell what it was as the light wasn't penetrating through it, but it had a dinosaur in the drawing.

"Wait. Did you bring him," Wolf asked.

"No. I wanted to wait until I confirmed all of this." Andrew turned back and saw Wolf cross his arms.

"So why did you bring us out here," he asked back. Wolf knew he was wasting time following Andrew. He should be back and finishing the rest of their station with Leon. Andrew didn't answer and continued walking. "Hey! I'm talking to you!" Wolf began to make his way stairs and Pigma and Leon followed behind.

Andrew was continuing up the steps when he heard a squeak come from inside the temple. He stopped dead in his tracks as this was one of the first, and oddest, sounds he had heard coming from the temple. He began to approach cautiously and passing the open archway, he heard it again. He looked around his surroundings and to his bewilderment, he saw a red ball with yellow stars rolling to his boot.

"What the hell?"

He looked around and was surprised to see a small dinosaur, about the height of his knee approach him with a playful demeanor. The dinosaur saw Andrew looking at him and got down and raised his tail to wag it. Andrew wasn't in the mood for playing games with it and opted to kick the ball down the long corridor as hard as he could.

He saw the dinosaur's tail drop down and turned back to him when the ball was out of anyone's sight. "Nx0't 0ei te kxuk?"

Andrew looked down and bared whatever pointy teeth he had left. "Listen here," he started. "We need to resurrect my uncle for classified stuff. So, start speaking or things will get ugly fast!"

The small dinosaur understood what he was saying and coward into his shoulder. "Im... A'm dek ud opfohk ed kxuk 0ok. 0ei'ho weadw ke xulo ke jfoub ke ud octoh." It seems that the dinosaur was only fluent in his native language.

"Stop talking in your made-up language and speak normal," Andrew yelled, still baring his teeth.

The dinosaur huddled deeper into his shoulder. He began to speak, his voice started to shake. "A'm koccadw 0ei kxuk A ted'k bden xen ke te ak. Av 0ei seict zijk we…"

Andrew snapped at that point, hearing a language that was anything but Cornerian finally put him over the edge.

"Useless freaking dinosaur!" He ended his sentence by kicking the small dinosaur a good few feet. The dinosaur landed with a hard thud and didn't move for a while.

Wolf was standing at the archway, but finally went to Andrew after he kicked the dinosaur and grabbed him by his shirt. "Get a hold of yourself, damn it! What good is it if you kill a random dinosaur for nothing!"

At this moment, Wolf heard something land behind him and he quickly turned around. To his surprise, he saw a vixen. A blue vixen. Wolf was immediately caught off guard by her looks and did a double take on her. He studied her more intensely. He started from her legs and began upward. She was wearing a tribal uniform, with a white loincloth. Passing her torso region, which was snow white, she wore a gold chest plate that hugged around her back. She had a tattoo of a spiral sun on both sides of her legs and her face had beaming turquoise colored eyes.

The most threatening part about her was she had a golden staff in hand pointed at Wolf and Andrew, her right leg steadied behind her in a position to where she could ponce and give her support if they attacked her first. She barred her fangs towards them and let out a low growl after witnessing what Andrew did to the small dinosaur.

Wolf looked up and saw a window propped open from the dome that sat atop the temple. He realized that she was watching them from above and would jump down if they did anything suspicious in the sacred area. Wolf took this time to try and talk his way out and released Andrew before raising his arms to his chest. A lopsided grin seemed as he began to speak.

"Hey, listen babe. This is all a misunderstanding. He didn't mean to cause trouble." Wolf said through gritted teeth and flashed a death stare at Andrew.

"Ted'k 0ei tuho jfoub ke mo cabo kxuk," the vixen said with a growl.

Wolf gave her a reassuring grin and slowly approached her. The vixen held her ground and tighten her grip on her staff. "Look, we just need some questions about this place, and we'll be on our way."

She started to back up, staff still pointed at the vulpine and was nearing the downed dinosaur. She knelt down and the dinosaur began to pick himself up. "Tricky, we rusb ke 0eih mekxoh udt ucohk xoh ev adkitohj." The dinosaur named Tricky stood with all his might and looked at the vixen with a determined smile. He nodded and took off behind her and running into the darkened hallway before disappearing.

* * *

Tricky ran with all his might towards a small village that was a no more than a few minutes away. He was panting as he returned and the dinosaur guards that were at the gate noticed Tricky and bowed when they saw him return. Tricky skid to a halt and alerted the guards of what happened at the palace.

"Kxoho uho adkhitohj uk kxo komfco. A mijk dekav0 m0 fuhodkj!" (_There are intruders at the temple. I must notify my parents!)_

The guards released their bow and followed Tricky into the village. All those who were inside began to bow and released when they noticed him sprinting towards their palace. Tricky burst through the wooden doors and began his way to the palace's throne room. He finally reached the room and saw two both the king and queen of the dinosaur tribe, his parents.

"Mekxoh! Vukxoh! Kxoho uho adkhitohj uk kxo komfco! Kxo0 xihk mo!" (_Mother! Father! There are intruders at the temple! They hurt me!_) He blurted this out as soon as he saw his parents. Both the king and queen looked at each other and back at their son.

"Aj ak kxo Sharpclaws?" (_Is it the Sharpclaws?_), asked the king.

"De! Ak nujd'k kxom. Evv-nehctohj. Ak nuj u nxako ufo kxuk xihk mo. Kxoho nuj u necv nakx edo o0o udt kne ekxohj nakx kxom. A tatd'k wok u weet ceeb uk kxom." (_No! It wasn't them. Off-worlders. It was a white ape that hurt me. There was a wolf with one eye and two others with them. I didn't get a good look at them._) He explained with a small crack in his voice. The king stared wide-eyed at his son and to his wife.

"Aj ak?" (_Is it?_), asked the king.

"De, ak sud'k ro." (_No, it can't be_), she replied.

They both turned their gaze to their son and the king spoke, "Tricky, hokihd ke 0eih heem. No doot ke mubo ud amfehkudk succ." (_Tricky, return to your room. We need to make an important call._)

Tricky was reluctant at first but followed his father's order and retreated to his room. Once Tricky was out of sight, the king turned around and walked towards a wall to the right of the thrones with a mural on it. The mural depicted a dinosaur huddled around fire. The eye of the dinosaur had an emerald embedded in it. The king pushed the emerald with his paw and the wall opened sideways.

"Av kxo tojshafkaedj muksx," the king began, "kxoho aj de teirk ak aj kxom. Xo nuhdot ij ureik kxom." (_If the descriptions match, there is no doubt it is them. He warned us about them._)

Inside was a small room with technology that was not of Saurian origin. A computer screen with the location of Sauria was flashing and small radio set was laying on a table. The king entered and began to fiddle with the radio, the tuners were adjusted to fit his large paw. He looked to his left and saw coordinates etched on the wall and was following the numbers in order. Once he finished, he released his paw from the tuners. The static was present for a while before there was a voice at the end of the line.

"King. King EarthWalker? My goodness. I haven't heard from you in ages!" The familiar voice would have been comforting to the king but something else was on his mind. He dragged the microphone by the cord closer to his mouth.

"General Pepper. We have a serious situation."

* * *

A/N: Who is this mysterious blue vixen that appeared out of nowhere? Why it's Blue Fox the Slayer of Evil and my new OC. Just kidding. My mind is literally blank right now, so I can't think of anything to note. Oh well, thanks for giving me a watch and reviews are always welcomed to help be a better writer.

I also liked using the Saurian translator, thanks Krystal Archives. I did put English text at the end but not during their first encounter becuase just like Star Wolf, you don't know what they are saying. You know, unless you use the website translator during your readthrough.

Lastly, congrats to the Kansas City Chiefs for the second Super Bowl win. So to any KC fans reading this, those Andy Reid 'time management' memes are officially dead. Now, go to your nearest buffet before Andy Reid clears them out.

Until then, Stabby out.


	5. Chapter V

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter V

Fox yawned as he was stirring in his bed. There was a low humming that was deafening to his ear in the early morning. He opened his eyes and saw his alarm clock on the nightstand.

_7:28_

Two minutes before his alarm went off. He groaned in defeat and tried to get to the last two minutes of peaceful sleep he could, but the humming wasn't helping. Usually, it would lull him to sleep, but this time it was keeping him from sleeping. He shut his eyes hard so much that he started to see stars in his eyelids.

Finally, the worst happened, his alarm clock went off. He groaned louder and smashed the top of the alarm with his fist. It stopped and Fox began to pull the covers off him, exposing him to cold air from the AC above him. Fox shivered as he was only in black boxers. He swung his legs to the side and sat up. He had a foul taste in his mouth and realized he needed to brush his teeth. He got up and pushed a red button above his bed and the shutters that covered the windows rose up with a mechanical whir.

The room began to light up with the blue from Corneria. Fox looked out and saw the planet he wished he wanted to be on, although he was happy that they weren't under the eyes of the press or fans from this high up. They were promised luxury living by Pepper when he invited them for drinks, but the place they were going to stay was already booked until the following day, meaning they needed to stay in the Great Fox for the evening. With this, Fox promised they'd be on call for the evening and then return early in the morning.

He went to his small bathroom and picked up his toothbrush. He then got a whiff of his underarm. He tilted his head away and put his toothbrush down and took off his boxers. Fox turned to his shower and stepped in, realizing he hadn't done so in the past two nights. He spent the next 20 minutes inside, five was actually washing himself and the other 15 was standing in the hot water.

He got out and began to dry himself with a nearby towel. He had some excess water and decided to shake it off. With the fluffy Fox now dry, he returned to the sink and proceed to brush his teeth for the next two minutes. After he finished, he brushed his fur back down with a large comb and then exited his bathroom. He went to his closet at the foot of his bed and gathered new boxers and socks.

He pondered for a moment and decided to mix things up, he picked his usual green shirt but put on black pants instead of green. He put on his shirt and familiar white khaki jacket and finally, his sentimental red scarf.

He stroked the white strip between his head and went out to the Great Fox. Realizing that the cycle inside the mothership was in the morning, he thought that some of his teammates might be awake. He started towards the deck of the Great Fox and noticed that Peppy's room, which was two door from Fox's, was open. Fox decided to take a peak and see if the old hare was inside.

Fox scanned the darkened room and found that Peppy wasn't inside, so Fox closed his door, thinking that Peppy forgot to do so himself. He continued to the deck when he heard a banging noises coming from the den. Fox's attentive ears noticed and swiveled to his left and he followed the noise. Fox reached the common room and scanned for any sign of his teammates in there.

The room was quite a big area, with three couches around a coffee table and a TV mounted to the wall. A fridge stood next to the door of the room next to a sink and a table that could sit six people. Fox entered and as he was certain that the noise came from the den. He then another bang come from the couches and quickly he walked to the first couch. When he looked down, he saw Peppy looking underneath the couch.

"Peppy, what are you doing?" Fox crosses his arms as it was an odd sight to see the old hare under the couch. Peppy began to crawl out when he hit his head against the couch for a third time.

"Ow, those are going to leave some bruises."

Peppy started to lift himself and Fox that his arms were full of old magazines and wrappers that had filled under the couches.

"Don't you guys know how to clean up after yourselves," Peppy asked with the tone of a disgruntled parent.

Fox raised his hands and replied, "Hey, that's Falco's doing. He gets lazy and tries to hide his junk in different places."

"And you never bother to tell him or try to be an example for him? This is your ship Fox, you have to treat it well or it'll break down on you in a snap." Peppy had an eye on Fox and saw that his ears were pulled back at his response. Fox couldn't help but look sheepishly away. Peppy sighed and gave the junk he had a tighter grip.

"Anyway, Slippy wanted me to grab this stuff. He's working on a new invention and he says he needed junk for tests. Figure I'd find some here." Peppy began to walk out and Fox followed.

"When did Slippy start this new project?"

"About a two days ago. Before we got caught up with Pepper and everything else." Peppy stood in front of the Great Fox's only elevator and pushed down.

"What is it?" Fox was interested as Slippy always knew how to blow Fox away with a new gadget or two.

"Don't know. He just called me and told me to get junk." The door opened and Peppy stepped in.

Fox followed and he pushed the button to "Engineering" and the door closed and descended.

"By the way, what time is it," asked Peppy.

Fox looked at the digital clock on the elevator monitor, "It's 8:13."

"Wow, though it was much later. My age is catching up, Fox." Peppy gave a small sigh. "Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep. And then I wake up at 4 or 5 in the morning and just sit around. My biological clock is all over the place because of our trips. You know I can't keep doing this. This is going to kill me if I keep an inconsistent schedule."

Fox knew that Peppy's age was a factor that he had to consider. After the Lylat Wars has ended, Peppy had a long conversation with Fox about the possibility of retirement. It scared Fox a little due to not having a strong fatherly presence to keep everything in balance. But Peppy assured that he would keep in contact and help train a new recruit, if they were to ever get one.

The elevator dinged as the reaches the engineering room. The door opened and Fox and Peppy emerged at the second to last floor of the Great Fox. The room was the length of the Great Fox's hallway. Slippy was sitting in the middle of the room wearing a welding mask shielding him from the light and sparks as he was welding metal together. Slippy heard fox and Peppy approaching and friend off the torch and tank.

"Here's your junk, Slip," said Peppy as he gave the wad of magazines and papers to the toad.

Slippy took the junk and squealed like a little kid. "Thanks so much Peppy, and Fox, I'm glad you're here to see this."

He jumped off his stool and walked over to a small room built for testing projects in zero-gravity. He placed the junk in the center of the room and exited. "This isn't my strongest inventions, but it'll help us in difficult terrains and surprise our enemies at the same time."

He returned to the control panel at the window and opened a cabinet door under the panel. He pulled out a large orb, no bigger than a softball, out. It had an array of wires and blinking lights that flashed from green, blue and white. Slippy pushes the light and it changed to white. He returned to the chamber and place the ball down.

"You guys might want to step back," he alerted to Fox and Peppy. At that moment, they didn't take a chance and backed a good 10 paces. Slippy pushes the button and ran out the door and shut it quickly. He looked at the orb through the window to see if it worked. Fox and Peppy rushed to Slippy's side to see what his device would do.

The white light began to flash rapidly and after 10 seconds, the orb opened. Immediate, anything within its radius was sucked in like a vacuum and compressed tightly in the orb. After a few seconds the orb snapped closed and the light l flashed green.

Slippy let out a cheer, "Yay! It worked!"

Fox and Peppy only stood dumbfounded as they tried to process what they just witnessed. However, it was short lived as the orb began flashing blue before it opened again and projected all the junk it engulfed out in a split second. The orb then snapped in two and light dimmed out.

"And that's the part I still need to work on," said a defeated Slippy. "Oh well, still a good test."

"Slip, what was that," asked Fox, still trying to comprehend what he saw.

"It's a vacuum containment. Meant to swallow anything in a matter of seconds. And with my touch, can create a projectile from it at will." Slippy finished the statement as basic as he could.

Fox then looked at him with wide eyes and said, "So you created a mini black hole."

"Basically."

"How?"

Slippy crossed his arms, "Do you really want me to get into the science of it?"

Though Fox knew basic engineering to get himself out of a jam, advanced subjects like this was not his strong suit and decided to leave it to his friend. As Fox was about to answer back, the Great Fox's communication signal began beeping.

"Argh! We're supposed to be on vacation now, Pepper," yelled Fox.

"Well you did say we'd be on call until morning," retorted Peppy.

"It is morning!"

"Wait, it's morning," asked a shocked Slippy.

Fox put his hand to his forehead and moved it slowly down his face to his muzzle. He trotted to the elevator and pushed up. The elevator doors opened, and he pressed the button to "Deck and Quarters".

Peppy turned back to Slippy, "So, how does it really work?"

Slippy had the widest eyes and began explaining in detail about his new invention to Peppy.

* * *

The elevator door opened to the hallway leading to the crew's room and towards the deck. Fox exited and noticed Falco's door open and out came the blue avian, just seemingly woken up from the alert.

"I'm going to give that old dog a piece of my mind," Falco gargled out as he began to march toward the deck in a white tank top and red boxers. Fox stopped him in his tracks.

"_I'll _handle this, seeing you're still in no shape from how much you had last night." Falco swatted Fox hand off and retreated to his room.

"We're not doing a mission! We're on break!" Falco said as his door closed with a loud hiss.

Fox jogged to the deck, not wanting to keep the general on hold any longer. He entered the deck of the Great Fox. A massive area with a panoramic view of Corneria. Fox approached the hologram desk which contained detailed descriptions of the current status of the Great Fox. At the table a tall, slender, gold robot was going through a checklist of morning routines.

"ROB, tell Pepper he can go screw off because we're on vacation," Fox said with a hint of sarcasm to see if ROB could sense it. However, Fox almost had a heart attack at ROB's reply.

"Okay. I will tell General Pepper to go screw himself."

"Wait no, I didn't mean it literally!" Fox grabbed ROB's arm before he could press the "receive call" button. Fox let go and the robot continued the checklist. Fox sighed with relief, cleared his throat and finally answers the call. A hologram of the General Pepper appeared on the desk.

"General Pepper."

"Ah, Fox. Finally. I was worried you weren't going to answer. We need your help with a distress signal."

Fox sighed and began to remind Pepper about them starting their vacation. "General, we promised until morning that we'd be on call. And well, we've already taken the liberty to start are way back down to Corneria City and start…"

"Fox! No, you don't understand. It's urgent that you need to go."

Fox crosses his arms began to raise his voice a little, "General, I understand your concern, but we agreed that…"

"It's Star Wolf."

Those words stopped Fox and he uncrossed his arms. "What?"

"It's Star Wolf. We received a distress signal from Sauria. Are you familiar with that planet?"

Fox heard of it. But he never visited it due to it being behind the area of Sector X. Fox didn't know anything about the inhabitants or what sort of culture or economy it had, but it had to have civilization in order to contact Corneria for help.

"Are you sure it's them?"

Pepper nodded. "I just talked to the king of the EarthWalkers, and his son gave a description of them. 'A tall white ape and a grey wolf with one eye with two other individuals.' It's them Fox."

Fox grabbed the desk as he thought he finished off Wolf and his gang on Venom. He grabbed the desk and his knuckles began to turn white as his teeth hurt from being gritted.

"It turns out they were there on the accounts of a locating a temple there. The king's son insist is that they were talking about resurrecting someone. You don't think?"

Oh, Fox did think. Resurrect who? He gave it more thought and his eyes began to widen. He wondered if they are trying that. To resurrect him. He didn't want to, but it kept returning. Fox was putting two and two together and it was making sense. He snapped his head back to Pepper.

"We're headed out now."

"Thank you, Fox." Pepper's face had a mix of calm and frightening.

The hologram disappeared and Fox turned to ROB. "How fast can we get to Sauria?"

ROB brought up a map of Lylat and tried to calculate the fastest route. "Our best calculated route would be to put all our energy into the Great Fox's engines and slingshot around Fortuna. Estimated time would be 10 minutes."

Fox had never used full power on the engines, but decided he needed to do this if he were to stop Star Wolf then and there. Fox brought up the PA system and alerts his fellow members.

"_Everyone. Pack your bags. We're headed to Sauria. Star Wolf has been spotted there and we're going to take them down for good. Things are going to get fast really quick, so I suggest you strap yourself to something. I mean it, Falco, or else you're going to get flung off your bed. You got 60 seconds before we take off. Fox out."_

Fox ended his transmission and quickly sat down in the captain's chair and strapped the buckle down tight. He closed his eyes and counted in his head for 60 seconds to pass. After it elapsed, he opened his eyes and without a moment's hesitation, turned back to ROB and yelled, "Punch it!"

ROB gave a salute and slammed the override sequence. The lights in the Great Fox turned off and Fox was engulfed in darkness, only the light from Corneria illuminated the deck. After a few short seconds, the Great Fox turned into position away from Corneria and the engines began to whir loudly. The entire ship began shaking for a split-second before Fox was pushed back in his seat and the Great Fox was propelled in the direction of Sauria at breakneck speeds.

Fox held to the armrests as if his life depended on it and was rocking left to right as the G-Diffusers on the ship were the only things separating him from an instant death. Throughout the loud ruckus of the Great Fox shaking, Fox faintly heard ROB's voice, "Estimated time: 9 minutes."

_Oh God. I think I'm going to puke._

* * *

A/N: "Once this baby hits 88 miles an hour, you're going to see some serious sh*t." - ROB.

So the plot begins to move slowly like me during the school day. At least my creative writing class is teaching me some stuff and giving me ideas. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a date with the "Yakuza Remastered Collection".

Until then, Stabby out.


	6. Chapter VI

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter VI

The Great Fox began its approach around Fortuna. The desk that ROB was occupying began flashing red as it was a warning that the G-Diffusers were beginning to wane.

"G-Diffusers running at 28%," ROB stated. "Estimated time: 2 minutes."

By this time, Fox felt like he was going to pass out, his hands hurt from gripping his chair for the past eight minutes.

"Now passing Fortuna's gravitation. Beginning slingshot."

Fox could feel himself being pushed to the right and struggled to keep himself upright. Once he snapped back to the center, the Great Fox's engines began to quiet steadily before the Great Fox slowed down. Fox could feel the force begin to lift before it disappeared. The lights on the Great Fox began to flicker before a loud mechanical whir fully illuminated them.

Fox was jolted forward as the Great Fox stopped completely and he braced himself for whiplash as he propelled back to his seat. Thankfully, the headrest cushioned his head and didn't receive any. Fox was breathing heavily as his entire body was still shaking from the experience. He unfastened his belt and began to stand, legs felling like jelly before he regained feeling in them.

"We have arrived at Sauria," began ROB. "Average planet temperature today is 74 degrees Fahrenheit. Climate suggests that the…"

"ROB! Get the Arwings ready," yelled Fox before the robot said any more information.

"Affirmative." ROB restarted the database and began to power the Arwings.

Fox began to sprint out of the deck and into the hallway with the bedrooms. He saw Falco's door open and the dazed avian step out with a wing on his head. Falco saw Fox running and grabbed him by the collar.

"I'm going to rip your goddamn heart out for th-," Falco didn't finish his sentence as Fox grabbed him by the arm and continued sprinting to the elevator.

"No time! We gotta finish this now!"

Falco broke free from Fox's grasp and stopped in the middle of the hallway.

"There ain't no way I'm going out like this!" Fox turned and saw that he was still in his white tank top and boxers.

"I'm not waiting for you, either you go like that or you're staying up here." Fox turned and pushed the down arrow.

Falco looked back to his room and back to Fox facing the elevator. The doors opened and Falco let out a loud groan before joining Fox in the elevator. Fox pushed 'Hangers' the elevator began downwards. The door opened to the hanger bay as Slippy and Peppy were already there, both disgruntled from Fox's unexpected stunt.

"Fox, I understand you have a hatred against Star Wolf," began Peppy, "but that is no reason to blast us out on a wild goose chase for them!"

"Pep, General Pepper said they were playing planning to do something drastic, they were…" Fox stopped as an announcement from ROB came from the PA system.

"_Four signatures detected leaving Sauria._"

"That's them. Guys, get in your Arwings. We're stopping this now!" Fox yelled and began to the Arwing in row one.

"We can't go off the say of Pepper," Peppy retorted. "You have no proof to back up what you say they are doing. You can't take their life in your hands and play judge and jury."

Fox heard what Peppy said and thought about it more.

"We do what we must. Pepper will cover for us." He climbed up his Arwing and Pepper stood there in disbelief at what he said. Falco and Slippy began climbing up there Arwings, leaving Peppy the only one in the hanger.

Peppy clenched his fists and retreated to his Arwing. Fox began his start up sequence for the Arwing. Testing his flaps and making sure everything was charged and loaded. A quick run through this checklist and flicked his ready signal to green.

"You think you'll be an easy target because of your white shirt showing off?" Slippy couldn't help but laugh at his own joke. While Falco was having none for anything today. "Can it, Toad! Or you'll be getting next after Leon!"

After the other three went through their checklist and switched their lights to green. Fox contacted ROB on the deck.

"We're all set. Launch us, ROB!" The Arwing's engines began to start up before being catapulted into space. Fox felt the familiar force for being thrown back and quickly regained his senses once they were flying in space.

Falco, Slippy and Peppy were not far behind Fox and soon, all four were flying in their usual formation. "Everyone good," he asked.

"I'm fine," replied Slippy.

"All peachy," said Falco, in an uncharacteristically happy voice.

"Everything's good here," replied Peppy.

Fox took a glance at his radar and saw four red dots approaching closer to his location. They were about to cut them off so Fox engages into all-range mode to prepare for any attacks by them.

"Switch to all-range mode. We don't know if they'll attack on sight."

The other three members did the same and their ships were prepared for Star Wolf's attacks. They saw the Wolfens approach and suddenly stop about 100 yards away. Both teams at stand still.

Fox waited. He studied each Wolfen for any sudden movements, but nothing happened. Fox then received an anonymous transmission, knowing that it was Wolf, he answered it.

"Wolf."

"McCloud."

"I thought I toasted you on Venom."

"Well, looks like you're not good at you job. A professional would have returned to confirm his work."

Fox gritted his teeth and tighten his grip on his controls. He composed himself before Wolf continued. "You still have lots to learn in the mercenary business, pup. You know, I could teach you a few things if you just let us-"

"WOLF!"

Fox had to cover his ears as he heard Pigma's screech through Star Wolf's comms. "I'm still bleeding over here!"

"Well, that's your own damn fault!"

"How's I supposed to know she would stab me!"

"Judging by the staff she had, she would have stabbed all of us!" Wolf couldn't hold back his anger towards Pigma. Fox saw Pigma's ship turn a few degrees to the left.

"You can handle them. I'm getting out of here before I bleed out!" The engines on Pigma's Wolfen began to glow.

"No! They're gonna…" Before Wolf could finish and before Fox could act, Pigma disappeared into the dark of space. Everyone saw Pigma go out and Fox turned back to Wolf's ship.

"Three against four. Not the best odds I'd play here. So, do you mind telling us what you're doing here," Fox asked knowing fully well what his answer was.

"We don't answer to the likes of you!" Fox could hear the scrawny voice of Andrew come through. Fox groaned as he knew Andrew was the second least of Star Wolf, after Pigma.

"Yeah, whatever, the adults are talking here," Fox said with a small chuckle. He heard Andrew yell and scream.

"You'll pay for killing Uncle Andross!"

Fox looked up and saw Andrews Wolfen come flying towards him. Fox was wide-eyed before he maneuvered out of Andrew's path. The rest of Star Fox began to spread out as did the two remaining Star Wolf members.

"Guys, it's three against four. But don't let those numbers fool you. Settle into your shots and be ready for anything. Got it?"

"Got it," all three said in unison before the broke off to pick their targets. Fox u-turned to Andrew's position and followed the ape as he frantically began to sway from Fox's reach. Slippy and Falco both took on Leon while Peppy was left with Wolf.

"This is unfair in all the rules," yelled Leon.

He tried to outrun two ships tailing him, so tried a somersault to get the upper hand. During the descent, Leon fired at Slippy's Arwing, but narrowly missed.

"Whoa, that was a close one," croaked Slippy.

Falco banked left hard and turned back around as Leon was following Slippy. Falco positioned himself behind Leon.

"Take this you two-eyed freak!" Falco fired at Leon and connected to his lower left wing.

"Ah, so uncivilized," Leon said as he pulled up between them before being caught in the crossfire of Fox, who was still chasing Andrew.

"Oh, I can't catch a break today!"

Fox could chase Andrew in circles for days if he wanted to. Andrew wasn't making an effort to try and fight back, so it made tormenting the ape easier for him. Fox began to lineup a shot before he saw Andrew leave a mine in his path. Fox immediately pulled up as mine exploded, barely causing damage to his ship.

He turned to see Andrew retreating to Wolf. Fox saw Peppy keeping up with Wolf's speed and saw Andrew start to follow Peppy. Fox turned around and followed suit. Fox lined up again with Andrew and fired just two shot to cause damage to his engines. "No! You'll pay for that!"

Andrew flew upwards and Fox was trailing behind Peppy and Wolf. Fox chimed into Star Fox's comms, "I'll take him Pep. Make sure Andrew doesn't come back around for me."

"Got it." Peppy flew up to suppress any attack from Andrew and now it was Fox following Wolf.

"We can make this easier for you Wolf. Just tell us what your planning and we'll lessen any charges to you already."

Wolf growled, "I'm not talking for anything."

Fox shrugged and picked up his speed, "Alright, your loss." Fox started to align himself with Wolf's maneuvering and had a split-second shot and quick triggered his canon.

The bolts hit Wolf on his right wing. "Damn it!" He turned to the left with a sharp turn and quickly said, "Boys, we don't have time here. Meet me at the coordinates." Wolf's engine began to glow before he blasted away.

Andrew was chasing Peppy, but Peppy was barrel rolling his way from Andrew's shots. Frustrated, he tried to launch a mine at Peppy. It shot out but was blown away by Falco who flew up between the two.

"Aw crap. Don't fail on me, girl." Falco began to slap his computer as the blast took out some of his onboard computers.

Andrew knew that he was outmatches. He turned his Wolfen towards to coordinates and took off after Wolf. Leon did his best to subdue Slippy, but ultimately it wasn't worth it for their plans in the long run, so he slowed his speed from Slippy and retreated to the coordinates.

"No! We had them!" Fox slammed his fist on his console, which caused the computer inside to turn off and back on again.

"Fox! Calm down," Peppy yelled into the comms. "We pushed them away from this planet. I think that's enough for now." Fox looked to Peppy's Arwing and let out a sigh before composing himself.

"ROB, can you track their location?" Fox heard ROB come through in their comm.

"Will begin working on locating Star Wolf," ROB answered.

In that time, Falco began flying to the Great Fox. "Well, I'mma head back before my ship dies on me, and finally get myself some clothes. I didn't realize space was this cold."

Fox saw Falco's Arwing fly into the Great Fox and stared at the planet beneath him. It looked like an exact copy of Corneria, blue oceans, green terrains and small patches of brown indicating a sand or rough plateau. "Slip. Pep. You keep watch from here. I'm going down to see what they were searching for."

"Okay, Fox. Stay safe," said Slippy.

"I'll let you know what I find." With that Fox began his descent to the mysterious planet known as Sauria.

* * *

Fox began to break into the atmosphere of Sauria. His ship began to rock as the heat manifested on this nosecone. After a few seconds, he felt the gravity of Sauria begin to pull him down and soared through the clouds. Once he pushed through the clouds, he could see the surface to Sauria. The green forest underneath him seemed to span for miles. His compass began to blink as the coordinates he received from Pepper, courtesy of the king of the local tribe, were showing the direction of the temple.

Fox lowered his descent as the blinking began to increase. While flying, he saw a large crater that couldn't have been made by anything falling from space, it had to have been man-made. He shook his head and sighed as he thought of this being the work of Star Wolf.

He continued flying as the compass gave out a steady line. Signifying that he was above the temple. Fox looked down and saw the old structure and the glass dome on top and saw the one window had been opened. He wanted to land on the roof, but out of respect for the temple and those who worshipped in it, he decided to land in front of the temple. He steadied his Arwing on the final descent and landed with a soft thud. "I just arrived on the planet's surface. I'll radio back in a few on my findings."

Peppy responded, "Okay, stay safe, Fox. No sign of Star Wolf in the area. I think we scared them off. But we'll stay up here."

"Alright, Fox out." Fox cut the transmission and shut off his Arwing. He opened his canopy and jumped to the ground. He took in his surroundings and saw the old temple in its entirety. He noticed the age was catching up with the temple as leaves and vines were growing around it. Fox saw the open archway and noticed it had writing on it. "Hey Slip, what language is this?" He brought his wrist up and took a photo and sent it to Slippy.

He waited of few seconds before Slippy replied. "It's an old language that the dinosaurs still use today. It's called 'Dino'."

Fox chuckled, "Guess all their creativity went to the language and not the name."

"I'm getting my software to translate it so you can understand the text." Slippy cut the feed and left Fox waiting again. Fox then heard a rustle in the trees. He ears started listening to where it was coming from. Another rustle came nearby, and Fox approached a small bush behind a large tree. Slowly, he made his way seeing it vibrate more and more violently. Fox placed his hand on the brush and pushed it aside and was surprised to see a small dinosaur huddled as he removed the brush.

"Ah, ted'k xihk mo," yelled the frightened dinosaur.

Fox got down on a knee and held out his hand, "Hey, don't be afraid."

The dinosaur looked up still scared at the sight of Fox. "Uho 0ei nakx kxom? Kxuk ufo wi0 udt necv?" Fox sighed and brought up his communicator.

"Hey Slip, while you're at it can you-"

"Make it so you can understand the locals? Don't worry, Fox. I got you. Sending your wristcomm the information."

Fox received a folder on his comm and began downloading the software needed to understand and read the Dino language. All the while, the small dinosaur was still talking as if Fox could comprehend what he was saying. The download finished and Fox pushed a few buttons and the translator began working. He put his arm down as the translated voice seemed to be coming from the dinosaur's mouth.

"… and they I went back to my village to alert my parents and…" He was cut off by Fox who put a finger on his mouth.

"Hey, what's your name?"

The dinosaur responded, "My name is Tricky."

Fox answered back, "Okay, my name is Fox. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm wondering what happened here. Can you to tell me everything you know?"

"I was playing around the temple when they came. The ape, the wolf, and two others. They were asking me to show them where the resurrection area was. I didn't want to because they don't deserve to be there. Then the white ape kicked me for not cooperating. That's when Krystal came to save me and-," he stopped and stared at Fox. "Krystal! I hope she's okay!" Tricky sprinted around Fox and up the stairs to the temple.

"Hey, wait!" Fox got up and followed Tricky up the stairs and into the temple's long hallway. Fox stood under to archway and saw Tricky running towards a blue body lying on its side with its back towards Fox in the center of the hallway.

Tricky started to nudge the body and backed up after no response, "Oh no! Please, you have to help her!" Fox sprinted towards the blue figure and before he approached slowed down and knelt down.

His arms hovered above the figure and he placed on its shoulders and back. He gently turned the figure over so it could be lying on its back. After Fox laid her down, he instantly lost his breath at the sight. The blue vixen laying on the ground was beautiful. He thought it was an illusion, so he took a few blinks to see that she was still lying there. He quickly began scanning her face and arms for any signs of injuries, but didn't see anything. He saw markings on her arms in the shape of squares and a what looked like a head jewel with a blue-green stone in it.

However, when he reached her torso, his mouth became agape as he saw a large gash that ran from the left side under her ribcage all the way across to her right hip. He quickly put two fingers parallel to her nose and felt her exhale. At least she was still alive.

Fox removed his hands and looked at Tricky, "I'm going to my ship to get supplies. I'll be right back."

Fox stood up and shielded his eyes from a glare. He looked down and saw a gold staff at her feet. He examined it and saw that there was dried blood on the spear's end. Fox then thought back to before the skirmish and realized that Pigma was complaining about being stabbed. He put two and two together and realized that the vixen drove away Star Wolf by herself.

That alone would have earned Fox's respect but seeing that she was passed out due to her injury, he wouldn't be able to do so if he didn't act fast enough. Fox turned on his heels and sprinted out the archway. He began to open him comms again.

"Slippy. Peppy. I'm going to be here a while. So, I suggest you return back to the Great Fox." Fox awaited both their responses as he jumped back into his Arwing and grabbed the first aid kit that was inside.

"Okay, we'll still be on call if you need us," answer Peppy.

"Got it. See you later." Fox cut the feed and sprinted back into the temple. Tricky was still nudging the vixen's face, trying to get her to wake up. Fox got back down and opened the kit and searched for gauze to put on her cut. He realized that her cut was exposed for a good amount of time, so he got some cotton and some alcohol to stop an infection from happening.

"I'm going to try and patch her up," Fox said. "How long has she been her?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe about thirty minutes or a little more," Tricky replied. "I was on my way to see if she was still here. My father forbid me from coming her until it was clear but I wanted to see if she was okay. She just told me to get help and I-I left her. I shouldn't have."

"Don't blame yourself. It's not going to do you any good." Fox said, trying to comfort the small dinosaur. _I know that feeling all too_ _well._

He sprinkled a little alcohol on the cotton and began to pat it on her gash. It was at this moment, the vixen let out a short, but sharp scream. Her eyes shot open and looked at Fox looming above her. She didn't hesitate and pounced on Fox, thinking him as another threat. Fox was caught off guard as the vixen quickly pinned him, grabbed her staff, and pointed the bloody spear at his throat. Fox put his hands up, dropping the gauze and alcohol.

"Hey! Hold on! I'm not-," Fox pleaded. The vixen's death stare didn't alter as she start to apply a little pressure to Fox's neck. Fox tried to squirm out, but the vixen was sitting on his chest, preventing him from moving. She was about to pierce his skin before she heard a loud voice, "NO!"

She turned around and saw Tricky run next to Fox and then jumped on his face. Fox was now under Tricky as he grabbed his muzzle and held it tight. The poor dinosaur didn't know he was suffocating Fox.

"Krystal, no! He's not with them. He was just trying to help you."

"Gem omm meh!" Fox was muffled and neither of them heard what he said.

Krystal looked down and back to Tricky. She held her gaze at Tricky who squeezed Fox's muzzle a little more and Fox started to whine about a lack of oxygen. She sighed and finally got off Fox. Tricky smiled and let go of his muzzle and jumped off his face. Fox gasped and breath heavily as both forces were now off of him. He looked at Tricky who had a smile on his face and to Krystal.

Her expression didn't change but he finally got a chance to see her eyes. They were turquoise in color and Fox was felt he could stare at them for days. At the same time, Fox could feel that Krystal was staring back at him with interest. He knew his green eyes were a major factor to his charm, and it seemed to be working as of now. Krystal caught herself staring for too long and blinked a few times before she looked away. Fox could see the smallest of red forming on her cheeks.

His mouth formed a small smirk and he began to lift himself up. He turned to her and he realized that they were about the same height, Fox being only an inch or two taller than her. "I didn't mean to startle you. It's just I saw your injury and I felt that I needed to do something." The vixen's expression didn't alter in the slightest.

"I guess this is the part where we introduce ourselves," Fox began. He stuck out his right hand, "I'm Fox. Fox McCloud."

Fox stood there for what felt like an eternity before she began to lift her hand and shook it firmly. "I'm Krystal."

Fox gave on of the warmest smiles he could offer, "I kinda guessed that from 'Dino Trick' over there." She couldn't help but give a small smirk. Fox let go of the handshake and returned to a more pressing matter.

"Do… do you want me to help clean you up," he asked, pointing to her gash.

Krystal looked down and gasped with eyes wide open. "Oh, my gods! I didn't think it was that bad! I thought is was a small cut and I…" She was cut off back Fox putting a hand on her shoulder. She immediately looked at him and felt her breathing stop.

"Do you want me to treat it?"

She couldn't speak, she just stared and nodded yes. Fox took his hand off her and went back to his kit to get a new batch of gauze. He picked up the bottle of alcohol and approached her. She started to lower herself and sat down with her back against the wall. Fox knelt on her left side and began to treat her wound. She winced at the stings from the alcohol, but Fox was patting lightly on her gash. She felt his hand wrap above her waist, she wasn't sure if it was to help him steady himself or if he did it just because. She didn't mind, just as long as it stayed there.

A few minutes passed and Tricky was beginning to pace back and forth, worrying about the health of Krystal.

"Are you almost done, Fox? Is she going to be alright?"

Fox gave a small sigh, "I'm still working, Tricky." Tricky didn't seemed convinced and questioned Fox again. Krystal saw that Fox wasn't able to concentrate with a child asking so many questions, so she decided to speak up.

"Tricky, I'm okay. But, I do have a favor to ask." Tricky titled his head. "Can you be our lookout. It'll take him a while to patch me up, so could you stand watch and if anyone or anything suspicious comes out, let us know." She ended by booping his nose with her finger.

Tricky began to wag his tail and said, "Okay. Okay I'll do it." He sprinted to the archway and sat under it, surveying the outside for anything. Fox smiled at Krystal and she smiled back.

"Thanks for that. I know kids can be a handful and ask a lot of questions." He applied more pressure with the gauze.

"He's a curious one, as all children are," she replied as Fox retrieved a white bandage and began wrapping it around her. He realized he would have to reach over her to get the bandage that was behind her back.

He began to reach over and around her. Krystal arched her back so it would be easier for him to grab the wrap. While he was over her, she caught a whiff of Fox's aroma. He smelled clean with small traces of mint. She could see sweat begin to form on his temple.

"S-Sorry."

She let out a smile giggle, "Don't worry you're fine." Fox brought the wrap over her and went around again.

"You know, I have to commend you for taking on Star Wolf on your own. They're a ruthless bunch to say the least." Fox reached over and grabbed the roll and went around for a final time.

"They really didn't put up much of a fight until I stabbed one of them,"she replied.

Fox gave a small laugh, "Yeah, I heard."

Krystal titled her head at Fox in confusion. By far, it was the cutest thing Fox had ever witnessed. It made him stop for a few beats before he continued and answered her, "I cut them off up there."

He pointed up and she replied, "On the roof?"

Fox chuckled again, "No. In space. My team and I had a small dogfight with them up there. The one you stabbed, Pigma, was crying about it. Though, he took off before we could catch him."

"Well it was going fine until that lizard took out a knife. He got me, but I didn't think it was this bad." Krystal looked down and saw Fox finished wrapping her. He began to stand and reached his hand out to her. She stared at his emerald green eyes; she was thrown off at how the glistened in the waning light. She reached out with her hand and took Fox's. Fox helped pick herself up and they both were standing eye to eye. Fox caught himself staring again and looked away to the wall that was partially cracked due to age. Krystal had a big smile on her face and started to walk towards the archway, with Fox following behind.

She approached Tricky, who was still guarding the archway. Tricky looked up, "Nothing to report, Krystal."

She laughed a little, "At ease, Commander Tricky."

Tricky looked back at her, "It's _Prince_ Tricky. But you know I don't like being called that."

Fox heard the title and approached Tricky. "Wait, _Prince _Tricky. You're a prince?"

"Yeah, but I don't like being called that. Just my name is fine." Fox really didn't listen to that part.

"So, your father is king here? He sent the distress signal for us to come here. Tricky, I need to speak with him."

Tricky got up and started down the steps, "Okay, this way! My village is not far!" He began galloping towards Solar setting. Fox looked at Krystal and she just shrugged and began walking down the steps. Fox looked at his Arwing and to the setting star and figured he'd be staying for the evening.

* * *

A/N: So they finally meet. Maybe not how you wanted, but how I've been thinking about it for the past couple of months. Maybe now I can finally get them alone, in a room, with candles lit everywhere to the point a fire would be inevitable. Nah, it'd be going to fast, or do they like going fast? *wink wink* Just playing around.

Saw 'Sonic the Hedgehog' over the weekend (because I'm the biggest Sonic fan you'll ever meet) and had a fun time with it. Jim Carrey as Eggman was the best performance out everyone. I had my doubts about Ben Schwartz as Sonic, but he was enjoyable. My overall take is a 3/5. Go watch it, you nerds!

Until then, Stabby out.


	7. Chapter VII

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter VII

Solar began to set behind the horizon of Saruia, the orange glow was waning more and more before finally succumbing to the darkness. Tricky was in the front leading Fox and Krystal back to his village of the EarthWalkers. The foxes were walking on each other's side. Krystal tried to stay focused on the pressing matter of Star Wolf and their reason for being at the temple, but during these thoughts, she would steal a couple of glances at the tod walking next to her.

Fox was taking in the sights of Sauria, the tall trees that guided their path, hearing the rustle of leaves every time a breeze would blow through them, and hearing the rushing waters of a nearby stream. Krystal noticed Fox's ears swivel at the different sounds coming from the planet.

She was about to speak before she heard a light beeping sound. She looked at Fox and brought up his wristcomm. "Aw crap. Of course, I'd forget my charger for this."

She looked at him and tilted her head again. Fox saw this and nearly kneed at the sight again before he composed himself. "Um, so this is the only reason I can understand you. Once this thing dies, I'll just hear you talking Dino again." The red light on his comm flashed rapidly before it ultimately stopped. "And there it goes."

"No'ho ucmejk kxoho!" Fox could see the effects wore off as he heard Tricky talking Dino again.

"And there it is." He turned back to Krystal. She wanted to tell him that she could speak his normal language but decided to tease him just a little bit.

"0ei sud'k idtohjkudt mo?"

Fox's face said it all. The look of defeat knowing that he wouldn't get the chance to understand a word she was saying. "I-I don't know what you're saying." He let out a long sigh and shook his head.

Krystal put a hand on his shoulders and said, "It's not that hard to pick up the language. That is, if you're smart enough to learn."

Fox was still looking down before it processed in his brain that she was speaking Cornerian. Before he could respond, she let go and walked away, leaving Fox standing there dumbfounded. Fox shook his head and caught up with Krystal. "So, wait, are you from here?"

"No, I've only been here for a couple of months," she replied softly.

"Then, how did you learn an entire language so quickly?" Fox was puzzled at how she was able to talk so fluently in Dino.

"Like I said, it was a challenge to learn the language, but after a few lessons and having a good mind, it caught on quickly. It's the language the EarthWalkers feel more comfortable with."

"So, there are some who can speak another language," an interested Fox asked.

"A handful of them," she states. "Though, they do feel like Dino is better because of the connection they feel towards the planet. I can't blame them. It may sound different at first, but over time, it is something quite beautiful and exotic."

Those last two words caught Fox off guard. If anything was beautiful and exotic, it was standing right in front of him. Of course, he knew he couldn't say that out loud. So, he kept it suppressed in the back of his mind. He suddenly felt something tickle in the back of his head. He quickly put his hand over the underside of his skull and pressed down to stop it. He just kept thinking about those two words and saw a small smirk came from Krystal. Fox removed his hand from his head and sheepishly looked away.

_I swear it's like she's reading my mind or something._

They continued walking for a quiet minute before Fox asked another question. "So…" Krystal could see his was nervous and a small blush was forming on his cheeks. "Where are you from?"

"Well um… it's. It's a little difficult for me to talk about that." Fox saw Krystal's ears droop ever so slightly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," he said.

"No, it's fine. It's just-I've been searching for answers about..." she stopped talking.

Fox could see it in her movements and her reaction, something he was far too familiar with, the feeling of losing something or someone. It's no shock to anyone who doesn't know Fox's backstory. Both his parent's deaths were by the insane ape. His mother was gone when he was barely five years old and his father when he was 15. Fox didn't have the motivation to move on after losing his parents, but he used it as a driving force to avenge both their deaths and destroy Andross.

Fox didn't want to press the matter further and felt the mood between take a steep dive before Tricky's childish voice broke through, "No'ho xoho!" Fox looked up and saw a giant wall that stretched a good mile. The opening in the wall had two large wooden doors and two large dinosaurs, about ten feet in height, standing guard at the doors.

The guards opened the doors and bowed as Tricky was the first to enter. "0eih vukxoh xuj succot veh 0ei," one of the guards said. "Xo aj rosemadw nehhaot." (_Your father has called for you. He is becoming worried._)

Tricky's frowned at the worry of his father, "Ebu0. Fox udt Krystal doot ke jfoub nakx xam. No'ho xoutot ke kxo fucuso den." (_Okay. Fox and Krystal need to speak with him. We're headed to the palace now._) The guards allowed for Fox and Krystal to enter the village and Tricky continued to lead them. "Kxaj aj m0 xemo. Nuccot Sak0."

Fox stared at Krystal and she just stared back at him, knowing full well what he wanted her to do. "You're going to have to learn it if you plan to come back here," she said sternly. Fox just brought up his dead wristcomm and pointed at it, giving her a "if this was working" look.

She signed annoyingly but said, "This is Tricky's home, Walled City." Fox looked around and saw many different houses scattered in the area of the wall. Most of them were made with either clay or stones. They approached a small market, with most of the shops were closed for the evening. The city was quiet and small torches spread through the city, lighting their path along with the rising crescent moon.

They continued walking before they approached a small palace, no bigger than a three-story house on Corneria. They walked up the small steps before the guards standing there allowed them in. The foyer was small and glowed a dim yellow from the torches. Two large staircases that were on each side of the foyer presented themselves leading to the second floor. Fox looked up and saw a chandelier hanging with small candles, some put out for being on too long. Tricky continued to lead them down the hallway, "Kxaj nu0."

Before Fox could say anything, Krystal immediately said, "I'm not going to translate every single word he says."

Fox just smiled, "Judging by how he delivered it and reacted, I think he said, 'this way'." Krystal couldn't help but let out a small grin and nudged his arm with her elbow.

"See, you can learn quickly if you use that mind of yours." Fox playfully rolled his eyes and continued looking at the murals that were covering the entire hallway. Fox could see that they were all connected in some way.

"What do you think these murals mean," Fox asked Krystal.

"It's telling the story of how Sauria and the EarthWalkers were created," she answered. "See that one?" She pointed to mural that depicted a meteorite or large object falling towards a blue spear. "One of Sauria's moons crashed into the planet and created Moon Mountain Pass. In the result, a new race was created called the SharpClaws."

"So, the EarthWalkers weren't first?"

"No, they arrived a little later." She pointed to another mural that was next the SharpClaw's birth. It depicted a triceratops around a circle of blue light and a SharpClaw carrying it.

"You seem to know a lot about this planet." Fox pointed out.

"I've been living in the palace for the past month. So, I got the privilege to learn about the tribe and their customs," she said.

"Wait, you live here," asked Fox.

"Yes. The king and queen allowed me to live here, in return I help in the protection of their tribe. Though, I said I will not be here long as soon as I find my answers about…" she stopped talking and her ears dropped again. Fox realized it was about the same topic he tried to ask before, but didn't want to pursue until she was mental ready to do so.

They stopped outside the throne room, the guard allowed Tricky but not the foxes. "Kxo badw udt giood uho tajsijjadw tafcemukas mukkohj. Fcoujo nuak idkac kxo0 sedscito." (_The king and queen are discussing diplomatic matters. Please wait until they conclude._)

Krystal translated to Fox. He stood there looking around the palace. But after a while, he couldn't help but take a few glances Krystal's way. He loved the blue color of her fur, something that no other women on Corneria had, unless they were brave enough to dye it. He wanted to ask if that was her natural color, but thought it as an inappropriate topic. Krystal saw that Fox was looking at her and Fox turned away and scratched his cheek as a small blush.

She saw him shuffle to his right ever so slowly, trying to get closer to her. "How, um, how's your cut doing?"

She looked down at the bandage that Fox wrapped around her torso, some red was beginning to stain the wrap, but it was hardly noticeable. "It doesn't hurt as bad, but I'll pull through."

It was at that point Krystal forgot to say something, so before they went in, she decided to speak her mind. "I almost forgot," she started. Fox turned to her with a small gap in his mouth. "I didn't even say thank you for patching me up."

Fox chuckled nervously and put his hand behind his head, scratching it. "I, um, it was nothing really," he said shyly. "I couldn't just leave someone like y-," he was immediately caught off guard as he felt her arms wrap around his waist and being brought in for a hug. Fox just looked down at her with a blush clearly visible on his muzzle. He didn't know whether to return the hug, so he just kept his arms frozen where they were.

Krystal felt his back stiffen like a stone post and gave him a tight squeeze before the door opened and Tricky's head popped out. "Kxo0'ho hout0 ke joo 0ei."

She let go, backed a few feet and looked back at the shocked tod. "They're ready to see us," she said before she entered the throne room. Fox saw her go in and didn't move for a moment. The two guards began to snicker a little. Fox scoffed and rolled his eyes before he regained his composure. He closed his eyes and let out a long exhale and entered the throne room.

The throne room was humbling and inviting. Fox felt a sense of comfort as he began to walk down the small walkway. He reached the two thrones made of a strong stone structure; they were fitted for the larger EarthWalkers that stood in front of them. Fox was unsure if he was supposed to bow before approaching them, so he began to lower himself a little before he heard the voice of the king that stopped him, "No need to do that, we are grateful that you were able to stop that threat. We owe you and Pepper our gratitude and thanks."

Fox smiled and picked himself up, "I'm just grateful that you can speak Cornerian. And we were lucky to give Star Wolf a run for their money." He saw Krystal on the top of the few stairs that led to the thrones, she motioned her head forward to signal to walk up there, he immediately followed and walked up the small steps. The king brought up his flat paw and held it front of Fox. He stood there for a few seconds before he realized that king wanted him to shake. To not keep him waiting, he put his left arm on the bottom and his right on the top and began moving them up and down.

"Thank you, Fax. We are in your debt," the king said.

Fox laughed and replied, "It's Fox, and you don't need to worry about the debt part, I was just doing my job. Um, your highness." He released the king's paw and he placed it down.

"Oh, no need for titles. Just call me by my name, Auserij," he said kindly.

Fox nodded and got the matters at hand, "So, I'm guessing General Pepper informed you on our recent success?"

Auserij nodded, "We were relieved that both of you were able to drive them away. Scoundrels like them have no business being in a sacred Temple of the Krazoas."

Fox's face had a small puzzled look on it, "Krazoa?"

Auserij began to talk briefly about the Krazoas. "I'll keep it short; they are sacred spirits that bring life to Sauria. They have built temples and shrines across Sauria. Only a certain few have been found, one of which is located near our city. When we worship there, they come down from their sanctuary in the heavens and give us their blessings."

Fox gave a respectful ear to the king's words. He had heard of many different religions on his journey across Lylat and was respectful to their worships and gods. Fox, himself, was not a very religious person, although he kept an open mind about their teachings and philosophies.

"Well," he started, "I'm sure you know why they were there. And that being said, you know what's going to happen next."

Auserij lowered his head, "It has been a while since we've had any Cornerian bodies on this planet."

The Queen EarthWalker chimed in on the matter, "A neict dek nudk kxom ke hiad eih rouikavic cudt, celo." (_I would not want them to ruin our beautiful land, love._)

Auserij turned to the queen and said, "I feel the same way, Sosacau. But, this matter is far beyond our reach now. Fox, here, will need to tell the general about Star Wolf's full intentions." Sosacau then retracted her next sentence and put her head down.

Auserij turned back to Fox, "I understand what will happen. I will give General Pepper permission for his men to be here until Star Wolf is captured. We will allow them to be housed outside the city's wall."

Fox gave a small nod, "I'm sure General Pepper would hold a quarry so you can have a say in the matter. If it's not too much, I would like you to come with us to Corneria."

Auserij shook his head at Fox's offer, "I cannot leave my queen by herself to look over the tribe. She needs me as much as I need her. I can send a body in my place when he returns from ThornTail Hollow in a few days."

Fox frowned, "I'm sorry, but we would need to turn this matter in by tomorrow."

Auserij looked down, "There is no one else who would want to leave-,"

"I'll go."

Fox, Auserij, and Sosacau turned to Krystal, who was silent throughout the entire meeting. "I'll represent the EarthWalkers and travel with Fox to… Corneria was it?"

Fox gave a simple nod and Auserij spoke his mind, "My dear Krystal, you have done so much for us. I couldn't possibly ask you to represent our tribe."

She gave the king a reassuring smile, "Auserij, it would be my honor to represent the EarthWalkers. I will travel with Fox and alert his superiors about our status, and your approval of his men."

Auserij smile grew bigger and simply said, "You have my blessing."

Krystal also had a big smile and turned back to Fox, who also smiled. After their smile fest was over, Auserij looked at Fox, "Seeing that you won't be going this late, I would like you to stay here for the night. We have extra lodging upstairs that you are welcomed to use."

"Thank you, Auserij. I should notify my team that I'll be staying. My comms are dead, may I ask to borrow yours?" Auserij gave Fox permission and led him to the radio behind wall he used to contact Pepper.

"Tricky, 0eih kamo xuj wedo fujk ud xeih kee cedw. 0ei jxeict we ke rot." (_Tricky, your time has gone past an hour too long. You should go to bed._)

"Rik A nudkot ke fcu0 nakx Fox veh u cakkco," Tricky replied. (_But I wanted to play with Fox for a little._)

Auserij frowned, "Xo xuj de kamo veh kxuk. Xo dootj ke hojk, uj teoj Krystal. We ke rot, jed." (_He has no time for that. He needs to rest, as does Krystal. Go to bed, son._) Tricky pouted, but followed his father's order and began walking out of the throne room.

Fox entered the small room where the Auserij's radio was. He saw the dials that were made for his large paws. Fox picked up his hand and formed it into a fist and turned back to see Auserij's paw and back to his hand. He shrugged and put is fist into the dial and began turning it. The radio began to emit static as Fox tried to listen to the familiar beeping that the Great Fox emits whenever they traversed the planet's surface. He was able to find the Great Fox's emissions and turned the top dial to tune into their channel.

"Great Fox, come in. This is Fox. ROB, Slippy, Falco, Peppy, do you copy?" Fox released the dials and awaited a response from one of his teammates.

He finally heard a high-pitched voice croak in, "Slippy here. Fox! We started to worry that you weren't going to buzz in. Your transmitter stopped working and we were thinking about going down to search for you."

Fox chuckled, "I'm fine. My wristcomm just died on me. Listen, I'm going to be staying on the planet for the evening. The king is aware of the situation and he's sending a…" Fox stopped as he tried to think of a word to describe the new passenger they will be taking. "He's sending an associate with us to Corneria to speak with Pepper. So, I need you to bring the Great Fox down so you can pick them up. Okay?"

"You got it, Fox. Send us the coordinates," answered Slippy.

"Hold on," Fox said as he turned the radio around and looked under the microphone to see if any set of numbers on their location. He saw a string of numbers to the wall on his left, but recognized them as numbers to Corneria. He finally looked up and saw a monitor that was mounted to the wall. "How'd I miss this?" He put his hand on the monitor and saw it was a touchscreen. He began to spin the virtual planet and found the location of Walled City.

"Gotcha," Fox said, childishly.

"What was that," asked Slippy

"Coordinates are: '58.754011, 88.509111'. What is the current time on the ship?"

"It is 2147 hours."

Fox thought of a good time so they could both be ready, "I expect you to be here by 0800 hours. Get your rest and make sure ROB has the Great Fox sweep for Star Wolf in the area. Keep this channel open in case they return. Fox out."

"Got it, Slippy out." Slippy's voice was filled with static as the line stayed on in case of an emergency for Fox. Fox sighed as he got up, he turned around and saw Krystal leaning against the opening of the wall with her arms crossed.

"Associate," she said with a raised brow.

Fox could only blurt out a nervous chuckle. "I mean, ah," Fox couldn't talk, she then tilted her head again and raised her brow a bit more.

"I-Its just what we call all those who travel with us from other locations. It's… it's more professional that way." Fox looked at her who just held her smirk.

She got off the wall and turned around, "C'mon, I'll show you where you'll stay." Fox exited the radio room and followed Krystal out of the throne room. They returned to the foyer and went up one of the staircases.

They reached the top and Krystal led him down the hallway to the rooms that were unoccupied. The hallway expanded about a good 30 yards and with about 10 doors, five on each side. "Take your pick," she said.

Fox was put on the spot as he continued down the hall to pick his room for the night. He reached the third on his left. He looked back at Krystal, but to his surprise she was standing next to him, which gave him a little spook as his fur rose up.

"Nice pick, but, this is actually my room," she answered. "Unless you want to share it?" She asked this with a slight tease in her voice. Fox instantly became flustered and began backing into the door behind him, found the doorknob, opened it and ran inside. Krystal couldn't help but laugh at the shocked tod as she saw the entire show happen in front of her and entered her room.

The room was big for a single occupant, then again, these were designed by massive dinosaurs. It was lit by three torches on each wall and had a drawer for one's clothes as well as a nightstand. The bed was big enough for one dinosaur, but probably could fit about five or six bodies, if needed. The room also had a balcony that was facing the quiet city that were covered by white curtains.

Krystal closed her door and let out a long and exhausted sigh. She looked at her bandaged torso and began to unwrap it to see if cut had begun to close itself. She saw that most of it was beginning to close, but the middle was still exposed. She sat on her large bed and placed her hand over the cut, and it began to glow a blueish color. Krystal began to close the wound herself; she would have done it herself after her scuffle with Star Wolf, the only problem was that she was punched out by the slippery lizard and they left her there.

After she was awoken by Fox, she couldn't sense any hostility from him, even though she engaged first. After she let him go and finally got a good look at him, she was floored at the emerald green eyes he had. She had never seen eyes that green and before she knew it, she caught herself staring at him longer than she wanted to. She took a small dive into his mind and sensed he was doing the same thing. It was at this point Krystal was thinking. She does this a lot whenever she's alone.

It was an interesting thought. She wondered if she should tell him. That she was telepathic. She was going to tell him on their way to Walled City, but she unintentionally read his mind about her being beautiful and exotic, which caused her to swell up a little. Of course, the feeling was mutual. She would take glances at Fox and saw that he was indeed quite a handsome and dashing looking fox. Even when he wasn't talking to her directly, he was calm and collective as well as formal and intelligent in his words.

She looked at her cut to see that it was finally closed and let out another long sigh while falling back on the bed. It was here when she heard a soft knock on her door. She got up and her mind instinctively reached out to the presence at the door. She recognized it to be Fox and she immediately went to the door. Once she opened it, she could see Fox standing there, she noticed he wasn't wearing his white khaki jacket and was just in his green shirt and black pants.

"Hi Fox. Did you need anything," she asked calmly.

Once again, Fox was at a loss of words. All he did was stare at her with a small gap in his mouth, and she did the same. A small smile was forming on Krystal's face. Fox finally broke himself from staring at her and his eyes were moving all over the place and examining everything else besides the vixen in front of him. She didn't want to, but she reached out with her mind and could feel that he wanted to ask her something, in fact he wanted to ask her a lot of things.

Finally, for what felt like an eternity, Fox finally spoke, "H-Hey. Um, I was just wondering if… I was just thinking and… I wanted to…" Fox couldn't get to his point and Krystal saw that he was breathing heavily. He kept avoiding it and with a defeated look gracing over his face, said, "Never mind."

Krystal's smile turned into a small frown in a second and he began to turn around, "I-I'm sorry for bothering you. I'll see you in the morn-" Fox felt Krystal grab his arm before he could walk back to his room. Fox looked back with a blush in his cheeks. She held a look of comfort and it slowly calmed Fox down.

"Would you like to come in," she asked. Fox stood there for a few seconds before finally nodding yes.

Krystal held onto Fox's arm as she guided him into her room. She let go and turned around to him. She continued to smile as the shy tod was trying to find something to say. For him, he was actually surprised that she wanted to talk. He thought that he would be rejected and that she wanted to turn in for the night, but she actually wanted to talk. It was here that he wanted to ask about her. Who she was, where she came from, and what sort of answers she was looking for.

Fox saw Krystal approach her bed and sat down. Fox looked for a chair or anything to sit on, but couldn't find anything, so he opted to just stay standing. Krystal saw that he was deciding to stand for the duration but didn't feel right from the events of today. So, she scooted over on the large bed and patted the spot next to her. Fox looked at the spot and back at her and she just continued to pat the spot. "I won't bite," was all she said as Fox finally walked over to the bed.

Fox began to lower himself and finally plopped on the bed. He felt himself sink a little due to the softness. He almost fell back to feel the soft bed, but stopped as he didn't want to give any wrong signals. He stiffened to prevent himself falling back and looked over at Krystal who had a small smile. Fox stared at her turquoise eyes as he was trying to find something to say.

He never saw eyes on a woman that sparkled and like hers, almost like he was staring into a deep blue ocean. At the same time, Krystal staring at Fox's eyes. There were like jewels that were polished over years of hardships and tragedy, something, she sensed, Fox had been through so many times in his short life. She blinked a couple of times before she broke the silence.

"So, Fox?"

Fox finally pulled himself out of his trance and stared blankly at Krystal, "Y-yeah?" Fox didn't see, but she scooted a little bit as he was waiting for her question.

"What is this planet we are going to like? Corneria, was it?" She gave him a beaming stare of interest, wondering about this planet she wanted to know about.

"Oh, well. It's somewhat like this. Green and has water and… stuff," he was losing his words and some red began to form on his cheeks again. "But, more modern." She held on the side of the bed and positioned herself to where she was facing Fox, with all the interest of Lylat on her face.

"How you mean by 'modern'?"

"Well…" He struggled to find more words to describe his home world as the vixen seemed to be moving closer to him. "Its just more technologically advanced than here, you know. Is your planet the same?" Fox could feel her mood drop as he mentioned her planet. He wanted to get a sense as to where she was from, but the first time he brought it up, she didn't want to talk about it. Was she banished from there? Was there something or someone that drove her away? He tried to think of all the planets in Lylat that she could possibly be from but couldn't put here in any of them as they didn't seem to fit her.

"I'm sorry. It's just hard to talk about where I'm from as of now," she said disheartened. Fox, again, didn't want to make her uncomfortable and decided to let the matter pass. He then remembered about her cut, he could probably change the bandage that has already run its course. When he looked down, he saw that there was no wrap. He was surprised to see that there was no cut or even a scar or scab, just a line of missing fur.

"What happened to you cut," he asked as he looked back at Krystal. She brought two fingers to her head and began to scratch, debating if she should tell him or not.

"Well, it's a little hard to explain." She began to avoid Fox's stare, before she ultimately gave in. "If this makes you uncomfortable, I understand."

Fox's face became blank as he tried to think of something that she had. She sighed and spoke, "I have a power that gives me the ability to delve into someone's mind and hear what they are thinking. It's only a power my people have, and we do not abuse it unless the person poses a threat to us. We can manipulate other's thoughts, but we use it for the betterment of our society and our people."

Fox listened with an open mind and open eyes. Never in his dreams he'd meet someone with powers that seemed like they came from a book or movie.

"So? You're... a telepath?" His voice pitched a little.

"I understand if you feel uncomfortable with my power," she said. "This is why my people secluded us from the rest of the system. We knew people would not trust us because they thought our powers to be alien to them, but we survived throughout our hardships and disputes until…" She stopped herself again. She tried to hold it, not to show weakness. But she couldn't hold back, small droplets were forming on the corner of her eyes..

Fox saw this and didn't know what to do. He felt that she was about to open up with what she had, so to calm her down, he placed his hand on her shoulder. Krystal felt Fox's light touch and she looked up, eyes red from the tears that were falling.

"I know what you're going through. You've lost something that you held close. It is very difficult to go through stuff like that, but I realized that talking to someone about hardships is the easiest way to overcome these troubles and remember the good times you had."

Krystal was speechless and continued to hold her watery stare. Her breathing was slowing down and she stared once again into Fox's emerald eyes. She then jumped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him in for a small hug. Fox was shocked as she hugged him tightly, his arms both hovering in the air. He then brought his arms around and lightly but them on her back. She gave him one last squeeze before she broke the hug and moved back a little.

They both stared at each other before Fox broke the silence, "I'm sorry for keeping you up this late."

She shook her head, "Don't be. I enjoyed your company. I-I would really like to know more about you."

"As do I. I hope I didn't upset you about your predicament."

She smiled and placed a hand on his, "I'll be fine, trust me. Though, I think we should probably get some rest. It has been an eventful day for both of us."

Fox sighed, "Yeah, it has." He began to stand up and rub his eyes, starting to feel the need of sleep badly. "I'll see you in the morning. Okay?"

"Okay. Good night, Fox."

"Good night, Krystal."

Fox walked himself to her door and opened it. He looked back and she still held her smile. He gave her a small nod and exited her room. Krystal let out a long exhale and got up from her bed and went to the door to lock it. She put her back towards the door and leaned against it. She couldn't help but feel drawn to him. She could feel his aura and his mind had a strong, yet caring presence. She shook her head, trying to deny this new feeling. She barely knew him, but she knew that wasn't going to stop her from learning about Fox.

She lifted herself from the door and began to undo her chestplate and took off her loincloth and undergarment. She folded them on the foot of her bed and removed her head jewel and placed it on her bedside table. She looked around at the torches around the room and decided to leave them on for the night. She lifted the covers and lowered herself on the bed. Her eyelids became heavy before she ultimately surrendered to a sleep she well needed, watching the white curtains flow like ghosts as the cool Saurian breeze.

* * *

A/N: This one was a challenge due to the fact that I was unsure if I wanted Fox and Krystal converse in this one, told ya I'd get them in a room together;), or leave it for another time. I kept erasing and writing at this one for a while to the point I stopped for a day or two. But, I pulled though and now I'm back for more. Still a couple of chapters ahead and should be getting these out on a steady pace.

Reviews again are always welcomed.

Until then, Stabby out.


	8. Chapter VIII

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter VIII

Though Sauria is a planet with a warm climate, that didn't stop the weather in the morning to be colder than normal, and a breeze didn't help either. The cool wind was flowing through the white curtains in Krystal's room, filling the once warm temperature from the torches, to a below than usual for the vixen's taste. The cold air is what woke her up and sleeping in her natural state didn't help much either. Seeing that the city was near a mountain pass, the cold air would flow through the valley and into the village at the bottom.

Krystal's teeth began to chatter as she reluctantly got up and went to close the windows at the balcony. The air stopped rushing in, but the temperature in the room remained the same. Her body began to shiver as she rubbed both her arms with friction in an attempt to warm herself up. She looked up and saw all the torches in her room were extinguished due to the breeze.

She went to her nightstand and retrieved her staff that was lying across the table. She picked it up and pointed to one torch and shot at it with a red projectile. The projectile immediately exploded on contact with the torch and a flame emerged. She did that with the other eight torches in the room. The room's temperature began to rise to her usual liking and warmth covered her entire body before she let out a firm sigh.

"Perfect."

She put her staff on her bed and began to dress in her tribal outfit, golden arm brackets and shin protectors. She fitted her head jewel on, and it glowed a light blue as it was situated on her forehead. Once she was done, she went to the window and looked outside to see Solar began its cycle on the planet. She remembered Fox saying that they were to leave Sauria at 0800 hours. Seeing that Solar began rising over the horizon, she might get some training before they depart. She grabbed her staff and unlocked her door.

She stepped out into the hallway and saw that Fox's door was open. She went up to the door and decided to knock. There was no response and she curiously opened it more and looked inside. She didn't see Fox there; his bed was neatly made and no sign of any of his belongings were scattered in the room. She saw the restroom door open and the lights off.

_He must be around the palace. He wouldn't leave without me, would he?_

She remembered last night, when she nominated herself to represent the EarthWalkers on this matter. She was thrilled when the Auserij gave his blessing for her to go. She saw Fox's smile, a warm and friendly gesture that she returned. Her thoughts were soon erased as she heard the large wooden doors of the palace open with a familiar voice filling the walls with its echo.

"God damn, it got cold fast!"

She quickly walked to the staircase's balcony and saw Fox, jogging in place and rubbing his arms to get circulation flowing. She assumed that he was out running or exercising. It was at this point that she saw that Fox didn't have a shirt on, just his black pants. She looked over his body, getting a good look at his features. She saw the white fur that was sandwiched between his orange fur extended from his muzzle, down his chest and below his belt. She stopped herself before she looked down more. He wasn't ripped, like most men dream to be, but he had muscles to show.

Fox stopped jogging in place as he began to warm up. He leaned his head back and began to massage his neck and let out a small sigh of relief. He removed his hands and turned around to make his way up the stairs. He then noticed Krystal standing at the balcony of the foyer that made him stop. He then looked down at his body and realized that he was standing half naked in front of her. He covered his top half like a woman would do if she was exposed. Krystal just laughed.

"It's okay, Fox. It's not like I haven't seen a man's chest before." Fox lowered his arms and placed his hands on his hips with a raised brow at Krystal's comment.

"No, I-I didn't mean it _that _way. Its just…" Fox began making his way up the stairs and to Krystal once he reached the top.

She couldn't speak another word as she saw a shirtless Fox approach her. Fox huffed and gave off a grin.

"Don't worry. I getcha." He gave her a small wink and she almost forgot to let a breath out before she suffocated herself.

"I didn't want to get my shirt covered in sweat during my run. But seeing how cold it is now, I'm kinda regretting that." Fox could see that she wasn't paying much attention to what he was saying. He brought out his hand and snapped his fingers together. Krystal heard that and she shook her head out of her trance.

"So, what are you doing," he asked to break the silence.

"I was just going to train outside," she pointed to the door but didn't remove her stare from Fox. Fox couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.

"Alright. I'll leave you to it. I need to radio my team to see what the current time is on the ship, and maybe they could pick us up early," he said with a tired voice. Krystal just nodded and Fox shook his head with a smile.

"Okay. I'll see you in a little bit," Krystal said.

Fox turned down the hall and entered his room. His door shut and he locked it. Krystal finally let out her breath she was holding in. She began to walk down the stairs and outside the wooden doors.

_Get it together, girl. You can't just drool over a man you just met. _Her subconscious began speaking to her.

"I-I know, but…"

_No buts. You need to remember why you're going with him. Your mission come first._

She shook her head and pushed those thoughts out of her mind and began to focus on her training. She went to her familiar area behind the palace with a tree that bears the marks and scratches from Krystal's previous training sessions. She took her staff in both hands and the spear's end began to glow a light blue color.

She began by doing usual warm-ups, using her staff to steady herself. She pulled her muscles and once she was ready grabbed her staff and held it in a defensive position. She stared at the tree with beaming eyes and began to whack the tree in a pattern of three jabs. She waltzed around the tree doing the same for the next two minutes or so.

After she was done with her pattern, she began to pick things up and began to "evade" the trees "attacks" with acrobatic jumps in between her jabs. After about a good 20 minutes, she concluded by running up the tree and back flipped off before reaching the top. While airborne, she jabbed her staff in different directions before she landed right side and to the ground in a lunge formation. Her staff behind her and her arm underneath to support her landing.

"Whoa."

Krystal picked up her head and saw Fox standing in the open area. She got up and quickly dusted herself off. "How long have you been there," she asked.

"Oh, eh, not long. I just finished talking with my team and I wanted to see you practice for a while. I didn't think you'd be so proficient with a staff, no offense."

She let out a small giggle, "None taken. And, well, I've never had someone appreciate my practice before."

Fox began walking to her and brought out both hands. "May I?"

She realized that he wanted to hold her staff. She was reluctant at first, but trusted him with it and gave it to Fox.

Fox took a hold of the staff and saw that it was heavier than it looked. He began doing bicep curls with her staff before he flipped it in his hands and backed a few feet from her. He began to spin the staff with both hands before he took off his left hand and continued to spin with his right hand.

He began spinning the staff around his back and grabbed it with his left, letting off the right. He continued spinning before he grasped it firmly with his left, the spear behind him and facing the ground and entered a ready stance. "C'mon."

Krystal knew exactly what was happening. "You can't be serious?"

Fox lowered himself more and brought out his hand and motioned with all his fingers for her to approach him.

"Oh, I'm dead serious," he said with a grin on his face.

She returned the grin and entered a stance of her own, though she didn't have her staff to give herself leverage. Both waited for the other to make the first move. It felt like an eternity before Fox finally swung her staff at her leg. She easily jumped over it, but not before Fox swept her off with one of his legs.

She landed on her back with a thud and saw Fox begin to throw her staff down on her. She quickly rolled out of the way and picked herself up with a somersault. She was on a knee and saw Fox was about to strike her sideways. She used her arm brackets to block the blow. She then swung both arms under the staff and attempted to grab it from Fox, but the tod was a step ahead. As soon as she stood in an effort to rip the staff, Fox leapt from her side and rolled across her back.

He tried to twist her arm in order for her to let go, but Krystal ducked under Fox as he neared the end of his tumble. She pulled just when Fox's grip was loose enough and slid the staff right out of his hand. She spun it around her back and entered a lunge stance. Fox looked at his hand and back at Krystal.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're reading my mind," he teased.

"I only use it when I know I can't beat that person. I just wanted you to feel special," she immediately quipped back.

"Ouch," he joked as he clutched his left peck.

She let out a giggle as Fox began to walk in a circle around her. She eased her stance as she began walking in parallel to Fox.

"Never thought I'd need my staff practice to come in handy. Though, I am a bit rusty at it. Could use the help of a pro."

"Are you asking me to teach you," she asked with a surprised tone.

"It'll take is a good day or two to reach Corneria. I'd say that plenty of time to learn a few tricks." They continued their parallel walk as Krystal was thinking about teaching Fox.

_It'd be a good opportunity to know him better._

"Alright," she said with a sly grin. "I'll teach you. But your lessons begin now. Lesson one: never talk during a fight."

Fox scoffed, "Statistically speaking, you just took out 95 percent of the fun in a fight."

Krystal let out a low growl, "Lesson two: never take your eyes off your enemy."

Fox's smile grew as he squinted his eyes at her, in an attempt to mock her lesson. She then grabbed her staff and shot a fire projectile at Fox. Fox stood there wide eyed and dodged it before it could singe his fur.

"What the he-" was all he said before Krystal kicked him in the stomach and gave him a good whack under his chin with the butt of her staff. Fox fell to the ground and was about to fling himself up before Krystal pounced on him.

Krystal sat on his chest and pointed the staff at his neck, a familiar sight as this was when they first met. Fox raised his hands in a form a surrender.

"That was a dirty move."

"Sometimes a girl likes to play dirty," she teased.

In response, Fox closed his mouth and a small blush formed on his cheeks. Krystal saw Fox's eyes dart from her and away at the side. She fought the urge to look at where his eyes were darting to before he said, "Oh, Tricky! Are they here, already?"

She scoffed, "I'm not falling for something that-"

"Kxo0 zijk rhebo kxheiwx kxo sceitj." (_They just broke through the clouds_.)

She finally turned around and was surprised that Tricky just arrived to deliver the news to Fox. Krystal realized that she didn't want to subject the naïve dinosaur to a not so innocent sight. She was about to get off Fox before he jumped up and grabbed her staff. They wrestled to take the staff from each other before Fox twisted it for her grasp and threw it aside. He then grabbed her wrists and quickly overpowers her and flipped over to where she was on the ground and Fox was hovering over her.

She tried to escape Fox's grasp, but the tod kept her pinned. She attempted to break free, but stopped as Fox's face hovered above hers. "I thought you said never take your eyes off your enemy. Although, it is difficult not stare at yours."

This ball was completely out of left field. Krystal began to breathe heavily as both were staring at each other, both looking at the other's eyes. It was a feature that they knew could draw the others attention in a quick beat. And this was no exception.

Fox began to loosen he grip, thinking that she wouldn't dare to attempt and tackle him. It wasn't until the high pitch squeal of the Saurian dinosaur that broke Fox's gaze.

"Uho 0ei kne fcu0adw? Sud A zead?" (_Are you two playing? Can I join?_)

Fox began to lift himself off Krystal before he turned to Tricky, who was in a pounce stance.

"Wait, Tricky. I gotta…" Tricky pounced but was caught by Krystal midair.

"Aww," he said defeated.

"Tricky. Fox needs to greet his team when they arrive. Isn't that right?"

Fox nodded. "Yeah. And, um. I need to go get my Arwing, as well. I left it in front of the temple. So, I'll do that. Just grab your essentials and meet me outside the wall in five. Okay?"

Fox picked himself up and extended a hand at Krystal. She looked up at him, placed Tricky down, and took his hand. He helped her up and turned to the staff that was laying ground next to them. He slid his foot underneath it and flung it up and caught it. He handed it to her and then turned on his heels and sprinted towards the temple.

"0ei cabo xam, ted'k 0ei?" (_You like him, don't you?_)

Her head darted to Tricky who had the biggest smile on his face.

"Nx-Nxuk muboj 0ei kxadb kxuk?" (_Wh-What makes you think that?)_ A small blush appeared on her cheeks at Tricky's question.

"Zijk u wiojj." (_Just a guess._)

Tricky began walking back into the palace, leaving a flustered Krystal behind.

* * *

Krystal, Tricky, Auserij and Sosacau all stood in the small clearing next to Walled City. The area was big enough to fit the Great Fox landing gears. Krystal waited patiently as she saw a ship appear from above the tree lines. She recognized it as Fox's ship, getting a good look at it before he returned to the village the night before.

It only took Fox a few seconds to bring the ship over to the clearing and landed it close by to where the four were standing. Fox began to put the ship in a sleep state, seeing that he would reenter and dock it back in the Great Fox. He took off his dead wristcomm and plugged it into the console and it began to pulse green as it was charging.

"Now charge," he said as he placed it on the dash.

He opened the canopy and jumped down. He walked up to the four as a shadow began to overcast them. All five looked up and saw the massive mothership of Star Fox beginning its descent. The two large wings that protruded down began to retract into the ship and the landing gears began to extend outward. The Great Fox's landed on the planet and the ship began to pressurize to Sauria's surroundings.

The large cargo door began to lower and show the inside of the hanger that housed the Arwings. Standing at the ready, were the rest of team Star Fox. Falco, Slippy, and Peppy began their way down the ramp and Fox motioned with his head for Krystal to follow. She did and met the three halfway.

"Good to see you all are ready to go," Fox said with a smile. Slippy and Peppy returned the smile, but Falco wasn't paying attention too much. He was looking Sauria's features and life before Fox spoke again.

"Anyways, introductions are next. Team, this is Krystal. She will accompany us back to Corneria and will be representing the EarthWalkers on the matter of Star Wolf and Sauria."

Krystal gave a warm smile, "It's very nice to meet you all."

She proceeded to give Peppy and Slippy and handshake. When she reached Falco, however, he stared her over with crossed arms and then back at Fox with a raised brow. Fox saw Falco's face and immediately knew what he was thinking. Fox shook his head while keeping eye contact with Falco.

Krystal sensed that Falco was uneasy with her being here. She began to lower her hand slowly before Falco took hold of it and shook it once, forcefully.

"Charmed," he said in a sarcastic tone.

Falco retracted his wing and crossed his arms as he gave Krystal another look. Fox decided to intervene and dragged Falco away from her and decided to have a small talk on his first impressions.

"What's wrong with you right now," he whispered.

"Oh please. Afraid I might steal you girl," Falco answered back. Fox gave him a stare that made him shiver a little, but he didn't show it.

"She's coming with us because she wants to. She felt it upon herself to represent the EarthWalkers. I wouldn't want you to treat her like everyone else, but that's your charm." Fox released his grip from Falco. The avian rolled his eyes and backed to Peppy and Slippy's place. Fox went back to Krystal with a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry about him. He's just not used to new people on our ship," he tried to suppress the lie so she wouldn't have to feel hostile around the team.

Krystal pressed her lips and looked at him and back to his team. She didn't want to be a burden on the team and be in the way. She knew she was going to stay back and let Fox and his team take the reins during their travel to Corneria.

"It's okay," she responded, looking back at Fox. "I won't be in your way."

Fox just gave her a small nod before going down the ramp to talk to Auserij before they left.

"I hope that you and Krystal will be able to deliver our requests to General Pepper with ease. Do have a safe journey and we will await your return," he said as he brought his paw up.

"Don't worry, Auserij. We'll get it done." Fox put his left hand under his paw and began to shake it. Tricky, who was standing behind his father, approached Fox with a wagging tail.

"Sud A we nakx 0ei, fcoujo," he asked. Fox turned to Auserij.

"He's wondering if he could go. Tricky, we already…" He was stopped by Fox who then knelt to Tricky.

"Tricky. I understand that you'd like to come." Fox saw Tricky was looking sad, but he put his hand on his shoulder to give him comfort. "You are really needed here. Just like your parents. You need to learn from them on how to rule over this tribe. Maybe, when you're older, and have more experience in negotiating, you can join me. For now, you have to stay here."

Tricky began to look up and started to wag his tail again.

"A'cc nuak xoho. Ted'k ro kee cedw."

Fox could tell by his voice and actions that Tricky was willing to stay and wait for their return. He got up and returned his gaze to Auserij.

"We shouldn't be gone for no more than three days, but you'll hear from us on the situation," he stared. "If Star Wolf dares to return, just call us and we'll be here in a flash."

Auserij brought his paw up and gave him a salute.

He turned around to his team and shouted, "Alright team, let's head out!"

Fox returned to his Arwing and began to power it up. Once it was in standby, he started the engines and began to lift off the ground.

"C'mon, Krystal. We should get you in so Fox can show you around," Peppy stated and began to lead her away from the hangar door. Krystal followed the hare and felt a fatherly presence with his tone and choice of words. All four walked up the steps and Slippy approached the console to begin the docking sequence for Fox.

Fox turned on his comms on his panel and began to contact ROB on the deck. The gold robot answered the call.

"Good morning, Fox. The Great Fox is running at normal capacity. Shall I begin our sequence to Corneria?"

"Yeah ROB," Fox began. "Also, get a line for me to Pepper. I need to talk to him real quick."

"Roger," he said before Fox cut the feed.

The Great Fox began to lift from the ground and Fox didn't waste time and began to fly into the hanger before the door closed. Fox began to back his Arwing into the dock and Slippy pushed a few buttons to lock the ship in place. Krystal was looking around the hanger with a keen eye and saw how maintained and organized it was. She watched Slippy closely as he pushed buttons in a seemingly random and colorful order.

Fox took his wristcomm from his dash and saw that it was half charged, but in good condition. He strapped it on his wrist and shut down his Arwing. He listened as the engines began to turn off in a low hum and opened his canopy. Fox jumped down and began to make his way up to the panel with everyone.

"I told ROB to contact Pepper so he can know to expect us soon. Also, I need to tell him about us bringing Krystal to represent the EarthWalkers."

"Pepper? Is he you superior," she asked curiously.

"Well, sort of," he responded.

She tilted her head in an interested state, wanting to learn more about what he and his team does for a living. Fox, although wanted to tell her, was interrupted by ROB on his comm.

"General Pepper is on the line," he announced.

"Alright, let's head up to the deck," Fox said as he led his team up to the deck to announce their arrival to Corneria.

* * *

"It's good to hear that you managed to drive Star Wolf out of there," said the old general.

The entire team was around the console on the Great Fox's deck that projected General Pepper. Even with the static interference that was constantly a hassle to fix during transmissions, Fox could see the old hound had bags under his eyes. Fox knew that Star Wolf was always a thorn in his side, especially during the Lylat Wars when they lost good pilots to the mercenary group.

"It was no big deal, general," he said. "They were on the ropes thanks to Krystal here." He uncrossed his arms and pointed a thumb to Krystal. She gave a friendly wave to Pepper and he turned to her.

"Ah, yes, Ms. Krystal. Thank you for standing in Auserij's place. How is he doing," he asked.

"He is doing well. He sends his apologies for not attending," she responded.

"No worries. I understand that ruling a tribe is an immense amount of work. Running the CDF is no easy task. I am grateful to those under me who help in my works, but overseeing everything can be a grueling task. That's why secretaries were invented." He ended his sentence with a small chuckle.

"Anyways," Fox interjected, "we'll should be there in a day or two."

"Unless Fox wants to ruin the ship and blast us to hell and back," Falco quickly added.

Fox turned his gaze to Falco, "You're still upset with me on that?"

"Yeah, you just blasted us off with no warning. Not to mention the ship suffered leakage due to your stunt."

"I did warn you." However, Fox looked over to Slippy for confirmation on the last part, "Did it?"

Slippy tried to avoid Fox's gaze and put a hand on the back of his neck, "Well… Not a lot. There was some in the hanger and the engineering rooms, but ROB was able to fix them while we were busy with Star Wolf. It's just, the Great Fox really isn't designed to handle the engines at that much capacity."

"See," began Falco. "You could have cost us the ship and, not to mention, you haven't even told us their big plan. What is Star Wolf doing that you needed to speed off for?"

Falco was right. Fox didn't even tell his own team what Star Wolf was doing on Sauria. He just blasted them without regards to anything else. He was so focused on getting rid of them that he didn't take his own team's opinions on the matter. He realized his poor leadership at the moment and began to lower his head slowly.

Krystal saw that Falco had a small smirk beginning on his yellow beak. She decided to be direct with her wording and that Fox would back her up if she were to stumble with the arrogant avian. She stepped forward and Falco saw her at the corner of his eye.

"The white ape wanted to resurrect someone."

The entire room was silent. The only noises were the static from Pepper's hologram and the hum from the engines. All three members looked at her and tried to process what she had just said. Peppy looked at Pepper and who in return looked at everyone else.

"Andross?" Peppy asked in the most frightened voice he made.

"I thought Fox would have told you," Pepper answered.

"Thanks," Fox said, sarcastically.

Krystal continued. "I don't believe they had a specimen ready. They were scouting the temple. Such people have no right to be on sacred grounds and I intended to stop them, even if it nearly killed me."

She looked down at the line of missing fur that ran across her torso. It was beginning to grow back, but she knew it would take a while before it was full again. She looked to Fox's team with eyes filled with determination.

"I've learned to trust my superior's judgement, in good and difficult times. Even though my people are gone, I still hold by that meaning."

She continued to stare at the team while also, inadvertently, felt Fox's mind as she said these words with sincerity. She could feel a warmth emit from his mind and a small smile began to form.

However, Falco scoffed and raised his voice, "Great! It's one thing for us to suck up to you, but now you got her doing it, as well. And she was probably sucking you off last-"

Fox knew exactly how the sentence was going to end and before Falco could, Fox connected his fist to Falco's beak. Falco was not prepared for that and began to stumble back before Fox grabbed him by his collar and brought him down to his eye level. Falco was dazed and had to shake his head violently to get his bearings straight and saw his captain in the eyes.

"Listen here," Fox started with a growl. "I could care less on your comments about me, but I will not tolerate you talking about her or anyone like that again. You got that?" Falco swatted Fox's hand and began to walk out of the deck.

"Hey! I'm not done here," Fox shouted.

Falco turned his head in disgust, "Oh please, stop trying to act tough in front of your girlfriend." It was the last thing he said before the deck doors closed behind him. Fox began to walk after but was cut off by Peppy, who stood his ground.

"Fox, stop it," he pleaded.

"What got up his ass?"

"Fox," Peppy said in a whisper as his eyes darted to the desk and back.

Fox realized that General Pepper was still on the call and witnessed the entire event unfold. Fox looked at the hologram with ears folded back.

"General. I-I'm sorry you had to see that," Fox apologized in his most sincere tone.

"I'll expect you first thing when you arrive," Pepper said. Knowing that this was a personal team matter, cut the feed, not giving Fox the chance to answer back. Fox stared at the ceiling for a moment before he closed his eyes and sighed loudly. He opened them and turned to Krystal.

"Could you give us a minute," Fox asked. She nodded and began to make her way out of the deck to let the three discuss this personal matter. Fox watched her walk out before he turned to Peppy and Slippy.

"What's wrong with him? He's acting like a dick for no reason." He looked at between the two, waiting for an answer.

Peppy looked at Slippy and he shook his head. Peppy stared more intensely at the toad and Slippy still refused to talk. Fox saw this and was not in the mood for this back and forth.

"God damn it, what is it!"

Slippy finally spoke it what felt like ages, "It's Katt."

Fox brought both his hands to his face and started rubbing his eyes. He let out a long groan and brought his hands around his muzzle and began to squeeze it.

"What happened this time," he asked through his closed muzzle.

"Well, she came by last night," Slippy started.

"She what? How did she know where we were," Fox asked.

"She was hot on our trail after we took off from Corneria. She arrived a few hours after you landed on Sauria."

Fox crossed his arms, still staring at Slippy. "What was she doing here?"

"She wanted to talk to Falco, but that talking turned into screaming and well I guess you know what happened."

Fox figured that Falco's temper and his recent history with the feline caused some discomfort for Slippy and Peppy. They've been on and off for the past couple of years, but the last time they were together was a couple of months before the Lylat Wars. Falco kept changing the reason on why they split, so it was difficult for Fox to sort their whole dilemma out, not that he wanted to.

"He even punched a hole in the den," added Peppy.

Fox shook his head. Sometimes he wondered how he was able to be friends with a brain so full of hot air. But, opposites attract are the usual words Fox finds.

"I'll talk to him about it later," Fox said. "We gotta focus on Star Wolf and their plan for Andross. Krystal's got the only info we have on the temple and the planet. So, I suggest we do some homework of our own to be ready."

"I'll begin to search through Corneria's archives for everything about Sauria." Peppy knew that Fox was going to have all of them find any information in history books galore about Sauria and their customs.

"I can see if I can find anything artifacts that they might use for their customs," said Slippy. "Also, I'd like to show you my improvement I made to my black hole capsule. It's really a sight to see."

Fox let out a small chuckle, "Okay, I'll check it later."

"And what will you do, Fox?" Peppy raises his brow asking the question.

"I'll see if Krystal has any more details on the temple that we need to know about. She spent some time in the EarthWalker's library, so she was bound to find something in there."

Fox began to walk out and Peppy still held his stare at Fox all the way to the door. Once Fox was out of range, he let go and sighed.

"I know why you mean Pep," started Slippy, "but if he's professional about this, then he'll stay clean."

* * *

A/N: So I got a postcard saying I have to fill a survey for jury duty. Thank God my excuse is that I'm a full time student. I got so much shit to deal with in school, I ain't got time to be listening to crimes. I'd probably be bored out of my mind sitting in there for hours.

Anyways, hope you all are taking precautions due to the Corona virus. The only case we got in Texas is in San Antonio and that North Star Mall scare was all over Twitter. I'll be driving through SA in two weeks, but luckily, I won't be going through that side. Why you may ask? Well, you'll find out soon enough.

Until then, Stabby out.


	9. Chapter IX

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter IX

Fox exited the deck and thought that Krystal was going to be waiting there. Turns out, she wasn't. She had to be exploring the ship as he thought she had never been on one this massive. He tried to think of a few places that would draw her attention to first. But all that was stopped when he heard a spring go off in the den. Fox's attentive ear turned to the direction and soon his entire body followed.

He heard the spring go off again and quickly made his way to the den. When he peeked in, he didn't see Krystal on the couches or the table. He again, heard the spring and finally entered the den. He turned his head to the right and saw Krystal leaning against the granite tabletop, messing with the toaster. She pulled the handle down and the handle sprang back up after a few seconds.

"Having fun?"

Krystal looked up and yipped at the sight of Fox leaning against the doorframe. She was so caught up in how this weird contraption worked that she didn't feel Fox's presence when he entered the room.

"Heh. I was just seeing how this box works," she started. "I've been pushing the handle for a while and nothing's come of it. Am I supposed to wait for something?"

"Well, yeah. You just need to put something in there."

"Like what?" She tilted her head, which made Fox hold back an awe.

Fox tried to find the words to describe a toaster. "It cooks bread."

"How?"

Fox was about to answer before he stopped himself. He wasn't going to explain to Krystal how a toaster works so he just decided to get to the point on their trip to Corneria. Krystal sensed this and began to lift off the tabletop.

"Fox. Can I ask you something?"

Fox didn't say anything and just nodded his head.

"Am I a distraction to your teammates?"

"Why would you think that?" Fox was completely thrown back by that question and didn't know how to answer it. Krystal grabbed her arm and looked at the floor.

"Your friend had some harsh words, and thoughts, about me and I don't want to cause any distractions to you and your team."

She looked very disturbed on the matter that one of Fox's friends could have think of down putting words towards their visitor. Fox approached her and then thought that they needed to talk about this privately.

"Krystal, could you follow me?" Fox asked from the doorframe and had his thumb pointed to the hallway.

She looked up and wiped a tear that had started to form. She gave out a small smile at Fox's request and followed him. She noticed that he wasn't leading her to the dorms, in fact they passed the hallway they were in and Fox lead her into an office that was past the deck.

Fox opened the door and let Krystal go in first. The office was small, a desk sat in the center with a cushioned armchair behind it. The desk was neat with pens and pencils in a small holder and a lamp that was off and facing down. There were paper on top that were stacked neatly and two books about finance were next to them. A small filing cabinet sat next to a large bookcase that held a few books and dictionaries.

Fox closed the door behind him and switched on the light, the low white hue from the bulbs turned on and Fox made his way around the desk and pulled the chair back. He didn't sit down and turned a small plaque that was faced down back up.

_F. McCloud_

"Time to be the captain now," he sighed and looked at Krystal.

She could sense that this was now a professional matter now. Fox was using his role as captain to get the entire picture painted out and discuss the possible outcomes they can come up with, but first, Fox needed to tell Krystal a little history on the problem.

"There are times when personal affairs leak into the already mounted problems of the team. And in Falco's case, he's been going through some…" He tried to find the best words for their on and off relationship.

"Is it a female," Krystal finally asked.

"There's no other way to put it. He's being going through relationship problems. In which their last meeting, as I was told, left with them screaming and Falco punching a hole in the den."

Krystal heard the last part and did see the hole underneath the big monitor that they had mounted on the wall of the den. She figured that it was punched on accident or in rage. The latter seeing the best possible answer. She continued to listen to where Fox was going with his speech.

"I wouldn't say that I'm glad they're no longer together, it's just that I won't have to deal with them here on the ship. Don't get me wrong, we were lucky to have Katt on our side. It was just a distraction to have her flirt with me and him on a constant basis. I told her if she wasn't here for business other than Falco, she wasn't allowed on the ship. And, Falco didn't take to likely to that."

"So, what does this have to do with me," she asked.

"He thinks that I'm giving you leeway because I'm the leader."

Krystal continued to stare with a blank face, "Why would he think that?"

"Krystal, think about it. You're a female and a fox. I'm a male and a fox. And judging by what he said earlier, you can kinda get why he would think like that."

She began to think more on Falco's choice of words and thoughts. It was crude on what he was thinking and why Fox would allow her onboard. She remembered how he thought she was 'being a toy for him'. Whatever that meant.

"I understand his words were inappropriate," he continued. "I know that you can hold your own, and you have the scar to prove it. I'll talk with him about this later. I just hope he hasn't made you uncomfortable with his words."

Krystal shook her head, "No. I've learned to look past words like that and focus on the main task we are doing. However, I wish to become acquainted with your whole team. We don't know how long this will last."

She was right. They didn't know how long Star Wolf was wait before they attacked again. Fox knew they weren't going back soon because of their damaged ships. But if this was a regular occurrence, she needed to make sure the team will still function as normal if she were to stay on board. Fox sighed and slouched into his chair. He brought his hands and was running back on his head.

"I really thought this was over. Andross. Star Wolf. The whole war. We were supposed to be on leave now, but we got the call before we went down. I had a whole thing planned out and… I'm sorry. I shouldn't be whining about it."

Krystal could tell that his plans were squashed due to their detour to Sauria. But Fox didn't seem to be bummed about it. It was at this point she wanted to check if her suspicions were true. She didn't want to, but she just had to know. She felt it unsuitable due to Fox's talk, but it was on her mind since Sauria.

"I'm sorry about your leave," she started. "I'm sure you and your mate will have more time together after we're done here."

Fox was staring at the ceiling when he heard that word.

"Wait. Mate? Like a girlfriend?"

Krystal felt that it meant the same thing, so she nodded. Waiting for what felt like an eternity for a response.

"If I had one," Fox answered. "Haven't dated since my academy days. That was like two years ago. I was thinking about going out and looking, but… you know."

Krystal could hear a small hint of sadness in his voice, but she knew better. From their talk last night to their staff training early in the morning, she wanted to get to know Fox more and so did he. Fox decided that this was a good time to end their conversation and got up from his chair.

"Being the leader of these guys has its advantages and disadvantages. Some have their problems and I need to address them." He walked around the table and stopped in front of Krystal. "I'll fix everything with Falco later. Now, we need to get you a room."

Fox opened the door and let her walk about first. He closed the door behind him and lead her to the hallway where the dorms were. Fox stopped at the opening and held out an arm. "Take your pick."

Krystal looked at him and grinned as it was her turn to choose a room. Fox couldn't help but grin back as he put her on the spot this time. Krystal walked down the hallway began to look at the metal silver doors that were planted into the hall. There were eight in total, four on each side. She looked and saw the third door to her left. She approached it and pointed to it. Fox just started laughing.

"Don't tell me," she said.

"Yes. That is my room," he said through his laughter.

Krystal began to examine the door and found a control panel on the side. It was touchscreen and had three buttons: open, call, and receive. Krystal's grin began to grow as she pushed the "open" button. The door slid to the left with a hiss. She looked back at Fox before she entered his room.

"H-Hey! Wait a minute." Fox shouted as he jogged to his room.

The room was dark, so Fox had to adjust his eyes before he saw Krystal standing in the middle of his room. She had her back to him and was slowly walking towards the window in his room. He remembered that he didn't cover it when he left, so the window remained open and showed Sauria in the distance.

Krystal could only stare at the shrinking planet. This was the first time since she crashed on Sauria that she has seen the planet from space. She finally reached the window and placed a hand on it. She couldn't help but feel tears begin to swell on the corners of her eyes. She began to breathe heavily, but she composed herself.

"I forgot how much it looks like Cerinia," she whispered. She tried to stop herself from saying that word, but it just slipped out. Fox paused what he was going to say and was focused on the planet name, Cerinia.

_No. She's from there?_

Fox walked next to her and could see that she was nearing a breakdown. Fox didn't want her to be like this. He placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her to look at him. Krystal couldn't look at him. She kept her head down, trying to stop the tears from falling.

"Krystal," he whispered. "I really want to help you. Please, tell me what happened."

Krystal looked at Fox and stared into his beaming green eyes. How she just wanted to stare at them forever, so strong and filled with care.

Fox could see the hurt that she tried to hold back, something he's done before. Fox began to lead her to his bed so she can calm down. Krystal sat down next to Fox and her breathing began to slow down.

"It was no more than five months ago," she began. "It just happened out of nowhere. An invasion. Everyone around me was dying and there was nothing I could do to help them. I did everything I could to protect those and it still wasn't enough."

Her tears became heavier by the second and she could barely talk through her gasps of air. Fox didn't make a sound or move, he just listened to her speak. He could tell this is the first time she has ever talked about this, so he let Krystal take her time and let her resume when she was ready.

"I used a nearby ship that they came in. I couldn't bear to look outside. I closed my eyes. I wanted it to be a dream, a horrible nightmare. When I opened them, I still saw my people dying and those creatures slaughtering them."

She started to cry heavily. Fox couldn't take it anymore. He closed the gap between them and gave her a hug. She went limp for a second before she returned it and began crying into his neck. His fur became damp with her tears, but he didn't care. He was willing to stay there for as long as she needed. Fox felt her grip tighten around him and he held her close. Krystal removed herself from his neck while keeping a grip on him, almost as if he was going to disappear. She talked in no more than a whisper.

"I saw my planet begin to crack. There was a bright light, and everything was exploding." She moved her right hand behind Fox's head and held it. Fox stiffened at the motion but kept his hands where they were. "And then another flash happened and then it was gone. My home, in the blink of an eye, gone. My friends, my family… My parents."

"I know how you feel," Fox said breaking the small silence that followed. Krystal relaxed her grip and pushed herself back to stare at him again.

"You do?"

He nodded. "I've lost both my parents as well. I hardly knew my mother. She died when I was young. It was a… a, um."

Krystal could tell that it was hard for him to say how his mother died, so she let him take his time.

"It was a bombing incident. S-She." Fox pauses and took a deep breath before he continued. "I was only five at the time. I didn't want to believe it. And as we later found out, the bomb was actually meant for my dad."

Krystal had to cover her mouth. She didn't want to think about a child losing their mother at such a young age. And yet, Fox had to go through that. She was disgusted on how someone would do something so cruel to another living being and to be caught in the crossfire at the wrong time.

"My dad, James McCloud. He died when I was fifteen. He was the one who founded Star Fox. He, Peppy, and." His face contorted as he refused to say that name.

"Pigma. They were hired to take out Andross. Turns out, Pigma double-crosses both of them for money and left my dad and Peppy for dead. My dad sacrificed himself to save Peppy and he barely made it back to tell me what happened."

Krystal had to hold back a whine. How could someone be so spineless to turn someone over for wealth.

"So, thank you for stabbing him," he added.

Krystal looked at him with a confused gaze and then remembered he was talking about the same pig she stabbed on Sauria. Her eyes widened as she made the connection.

"That was him!" Krystal looked furious.

"Y-Yeah, but don't get upset for my sake. I need to deal with him personally."

She calmed down but still had an angry look. She then turned to the other name she heard. The one that seemed to connect everything together.

"So, who is this Andross," she asked curiously.

Fox felt that she needed to know who and what was the driving force for the Lylat Wars and who Star Wolf was trying to resurrect.

"I guess you should know before we arrive." He took a deep breath before he told her everything he knew about the mad ape.

"Andross was a brilliant mind at Corneria. One of the top scientists that they ever witnessed, but that sort of power can mingle with madness. He began to conduct inhumane experiments and one caused the deaths many civilians. When he was tried, Pepper banished him to Venom, thinking he would die painfully there. However, he survived and began to mutate an army. That's when my dad went to check. After my dad… passed. Andross began all-out war against Lylat. After I dropped out of our flight academy, we took on his forces and went straight to Venom. He had a few tricks up his sleeve, but we ultimately made it there and I was able to destroy him for good. That's why I don't know how Star Wolf is going to revive him."

He began to ball his fists until the knuckles were white. Clearly it was a thought he didn't want to think of. Killing Andross was the one thing that drove Fox to revive Star Fox and fight to avenge his father. Whatever Star Wolf was planning, he was determined to stop them at any cost.

Krystal could sense that Fox's mind was running wild with theories and worry about Star Wolf's recent plans and actions. She looked down at his arm that was tense from him clenching his fist. She began to raise her hand and thought for a second. For a while, her hand hovered above his arm as she tried to get a glimpse of what was happening in his mind. She tried to reach through but saw that his mind was clouded. She wanted to push further, then realized that she didn't wan to invade his privacy, so she stopped and finally placed her hand on his arm.

Fox immediately stopped thinking for a while and looked at the blue hand that was gently on his arm. He followed it almost as if he didn't know where it came from. Once he reached the origin, he saw Krystal's eye shine from the light that Sauria was giving off. It felt like he wasn't breathing, so he took in a deep breath before letting it out slowly.

"I'm sure you'll think of something," Krystal said, reassuringly.

Fox sighed as Krystal's hand remained where it was. He looked down and saw how delicate and slender it looked. He was amazed at how much strength she possessed in those hands and he felt her give him a small squeeze. Fox looked back up and Krystal continued to stare at him. Fox could have sworn his eyes were playing tricks on him because he thought that Krystal was inching closer to him.

He blinked once and he continued to see her inching closer to him. His mind completely shut down. He had to stop her from doing what she was doing, but Fox sat frozen where he was. His arms felt limp and had a tingling feeling run through them, almost as if he was in a paralysis state. For whatever it was, he could move only his head and slowly was backing it away as she drew closer.

Krystal finally opened her eyes and saw that Fox was leaning to the side with his head tilted slightly upwards. She saw that she was crossing over his body and gasped before she quickly retreated back to her spot. She slumped down a little and cradled her arms together. She didn't dare look at Fox due to her action. Her face felt hot and she beaded a small drop of sweat.

"I-I'm sorry." It was all she could say. She was so embarrassed that she shut her eyes, not wanting to open them for anything. For some reason, she felt like throwing up because of how sick she suddenly felt. She continued to look away before she felt a trembling hand gently touch her shoulder. She still had her eyes closed.

"Krystal." Fox's whisper could hardly be heard through the Great Fox's hum. She began to turn her head but kept her eyes closed. When she finally turned her head around, she slowly opened them and saw Fox's emerald eyes piercing back at her.

"We've both been through a lot lately. You most recently. I know that my pain is different than yours, in that you lost your entire planet. I don't think I'd ever want to experience something like that. It's just devastating to lose everything you had in an instant."

Krystal could tell he was trying to find the best words to lighten her mood. Fox knew it was a sensitive topic and that he wounds from the process are still fresh. Fox tired to think back to when he grieved both his parent's deaths.

"It is a process that needs time to heal. During that time, I had Peppy, Slippy, and Pepper there to help me go through it. And I'd like to help you as well." Fox finished his sentence with a smile.

Krystal's eyes began to water. On the time she spent on Sauria, she had small talks to the king and queen about this heavy topic. She would have hoped they would have some guidance, but all they could say is that they would be there for her. She wondered if they have ever gone what she went through, if they ever lost a tribe before, but she felt that they haven't. Even with their reassuring words, she knew they never know what it's like to lose everything. And though Fox hadn't lost his planet, they were both orphaned.

"Y-You would help me?" The tears began to fall down her face again. Fox simply nodded his head.

"You're searching for what happened to your planet. I'd like to help you find what happened so you can have some closure. After all this is over, of course. That is, if you don't mind."

Krystal felt her heart skip a beat. She did want to find answers, but she felt it difficult due to her lack of knowledge of the Lylat System. If she had a guide or someone willing to show her around, she wouldn't mind it, but to hear Fox say he wanted to help her. Her heart skipped another beat and didn't think about her actions. She lunged forward and embraced Fox with another hug.

"Thank you." She whispered through her whimpers. Fox returned the hug for a brief second before he pulled her back.

"No problem. Anyways, I think you need to take a rest. It'll be a few days before we reach Corneria." Fox could see that her eyes were red and a little droopy. He stood up and offered his hand. Krystal took it and Fox guided her out of his room. He went to the door across from his and opened it. "We're not using this room. So, you can have it."

She walked into the room and stood under the door. She turned around and basked in Fox's presence. He was so caring and understanding yet a forceful nature due to being a leader. She yawned and rubbed her eye.

"I think I'll take a small nap," she said through another yawn. Fox understood that she needed to rest after their private talk.

"Don't hesitate to come to me for anything. It's kind of my job," he said with a small chuckle. He stood there for another beat and began to walk back to his room.

"Fox." Krystal saw Fox stop and turn back.

"Y-Yes?" Fox didn't know what she wanted, and he got a little shy on what she wanted. He walked slowly back to her.

"I can't repay you enough for your kindness and generosity, but this is all I can give." Krystal didn't think, she just acted. She leaned forward and planted a small kiss on Fox's cheek. Fox felt her breath against his cheek as she pulled away. It took great, _great_, restraint to not fall into temptation right there. She backed up and allowed the door to close between them, leaving Fox standing in front of her room completely blank.

He blinked twice before he turned back and headed to his room. His door shut and he leaned against it. He was now quarreling with his inner conscience, but not because of that.

_Dude, why didn't you tell her!_

"How am I supposed to tell her something like that?" He crossed his arms.

_Well you can't keep it hidden forever. And how long do you think she's going to stay? She's going to find out soon. She can read your freaking mind. She's probably listening right now._

Fox froze and stopped thinking for a moment.

"No. She wouldn't. She knows better not to do that." He walked to his bed and lowered himself. He felt a sharp sting on his neck and immediately covered his neck with one hand and his forehead with the other, as if to block anything from penetrating his skull.

_She's going to find out._

It was the last thing his conscience said before it faded out. He needed to tell her. But how?

"I tried. He was to powerful at that point. He destroyed it without thought. No remorse or sympathy. An entire planet. Gone."

* * *

A/N: *insert Tim Allen "whut" here* Why couldn't Fox tell her? Will Krystal mend with the team well? And why won't there be a double upload this week like I planned it? The last question will be answered next week. As for the other two, keep reading to find out.

Until then, Stabby out.


	10. Chapter X

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter X

The asteroids in the belt of Meteo rotated slowly in the vacuum of space. The rocks would occasionally bounce off each other in a quiet thud and separate into smaller rocks. Some rocks would make its way to an empty area that seemed to be dead. Once the rocks would reach this area, it would bounce back as if something was blocking its intended path. In this case, it was a station fitted with reflectors that camouflage. The rocks would hit but the reflector stood standing strong. Inside his lone office, Wolf looked on as the rocks continued to collide with one another.

He made the journey back to his office after their recent expedition to Sauria. One in which Star Fox arrived just as they were leaving. The scuffle only lasted a few minutes before Wolf and his gang were forced to retreat. Pigma left before the scuffle had started due to him being stabbed before. He only has himself to blame as he got a little handsy when trying to apprehend the mysterious blue vixen. Leon came to Pigma's rescue by attempting to slash her stomach open, he opted to finish the job, but Wolf said they should leave because they didn't want to get involved with the local tribes.

Now, back at the station, Wolf continued to stare at the rocks colliding with each other. His face fixed on looking outward, almost as if he was in a trance state. He was quickly taken out of this state when he heard a loud bang at his office door. He kept it locked, hoping none of his comrades would come looking for him. Obviously, it didn't work out. Even a massive station like this, Wolf would always retire to his office at times of frustration or just to get away from his teammates.

"Wolf! We need to talk!"

The high-pitched voice of Andrew pierced through and Wolf tilted his head back with a grimace on his face, clearly not want to talk to anybody at this time.

"I know you're inside. Let me in!"

Wolf brought his head back down and pinched the bridge between his eyes. The metal door grew louder with every knock and Wolf finally snapped. He walked over to the door and quickly unlocked it. He pulled it open and grabbed Andrew by the neck and slammed him to the wall next to him.

"What the FUCK do you want?" Wolf's booming voice echoed through the hallway that could wake up every living soul in Lylat. Andrew tried to speak but his skinny throat was being clamped down by Wolf's hand, claws extended and threatening to pierce his neck.

"We n-need to talk about…" he stopped to try an inhale but was denied as Wolf still held his grip. "ta-talk about S-Sauria." It was all he could say as his airway became restricted more and more. Finally, as small bits of purple were developing on Andrew's white face, Wolf let go and Andrew fell to the ground on all fours, gasping and taking deep inhales.

"What is there to talk about? I'm not apart of this. You have to deal with your shit on your own time." He left Andrew on the ground as he walked into the hallway, turning to his left and started his way to the station's common room.

"W-Wait!" Andrew finally picked himself up and chased after Wolf.

Wolf blocked out his shouts and walked into the large common room. The room itself could hold about 20 to 30 people at once, if needed. Tables were scattered around, and a grim gray and white color pallet filled the area. A small bar was fixed to the right of the common room, with five stools and three empty shelves. Wolf walked over to find something hard if he wanted to get through this talk.

Andrew followed suit and saw Wolf make his way around the bar and searching through the cabinets under the countertop. Andrew made his way to the bar and peered over, trying to get his attention again. As soon as that didn't work, he made the mistake of trying to get Wolf's attention by grabbing him by the ear.

The vulpine did not take this action with any sort of thought. He shot up and grabbed Andrew by the head and slammed it hard on the countertop. The ape went limp for a second before he fell and groaned. Wolf, abandoning his search, went around the bar and to Andrew, who had his hand to his head, a small cut that was leaking blood was above his eyebrow.

"Don't you fucking do that to me again." His teeth in full exposure.

Andrew rubbed his cut for a few seconds. He looked up to see two Wolf's before his vision brought them together. He used the stool for support and groaned as he picked himself up. Wolf, standing over him, watched as the ape helplessly attempted to rise. Once Andrew had gotten on two feet, he looked again at Wolf, eyes looking like they were about to leak any second.

Andrew compose himself before rubbing his head again.

"They know that you're with me," he started, "There's no way out of it. They'll be coming for all our heads."

"Yeah. That's the problem I have now." Wolf rubbed the bridge of his snout with both hands.

"We just need to distract them so we can-"

"No! You've done enough damage to us already!" Wolf's voice echoed in the empty common room. "There is no point on bringing your dead uncle back! He's a lost cause like you are."

That last sentence bounced around Andrew's mind. Being called out like that did not sit well and the ape was going to say his piece.

"I have been treated so unfairly since I joined this group." The tone of his voice made it sound like that of a child. "I was chosen by my uncle to be here out of all those who contended."

Wolf shook his head as he was about to drop the truth again on Andrew.

"Need I remind you why he wanted you with us? It's because he didn't want you around interfering with his plans. He wanted nothing to do with you. That's why I was voluntold to add you."

Andrew knew that he wasn't on Andross' good radar. He never wanted to interfere with his uncle's works, he just wanted to prove to him that he was able to handle himself and obtain a rank in his forces. Obviously, it didn't turn out the way he wanted, so Andross resulted to shipping him to Wolf for his own sake.

"Like I was saying," completing ignoring Wolf's explanation. "We need to…"

"There is no _we_! This isn't my, our, problem anymore." Wolf wanted to get away from Andrew quickly and began his way out of the common room. It wasn't long before Andrew chased after him, stumbling a little as he tried to get his footing.

Wolf walked down the long hallway to the docking station. Once he entered, he saw Leon on the control panel, running diagnostics and saw a handful of robots working to fix the four Wolfens. Leon was pushing buttons as soon as Wolf walked in to make it seem like he was working and not slacking off.

"Ah Wolf," Leon started. "The stabilizers are being recalibrated and the engine in yours needed a small tune up before it could be cleared."

Wolf wasn't really paying attention to what the chameleon said and walked past him without recognition. Leon turned his head back and saw Andrew running after Wolf. Leon rotated his head around his neck before groaning and returning to fix the Wolfens. He really didn't have much to say on the matter, so just opted to let this play out this dispute between captain and subordinate.

It was very uncommon for Wolf to be lurking around the medical bay, as he was hardly injured during the many difficult battles they journeyed to. However, he was there to see the hog that was recovering from getting stabbed by the blue vixen. This was the first time he'd seen Pigma since he flew off on a moment's notice.

Pigma was sitting up on his bed, clearly uncomfortable being in this situation. He was shitless with a large white bandage wrapped around his large stomach. There was blood staining the bandage, which looked like it needed another change. Wolf studied his comrade and saw the pile of other bandages lying in the corner of the room.

"Jesus, Pigma. Don't you know how to clean yourself up?" Wolf could see that he was not neatly dressed in the bandage.

The bandage was falling apart with creases exposing the cut to the open air. The air itself was not a pleasant smell. Combined with the bay's stench and Pigma's perspiration, it was quite the foul odor to come across. Wolf began to find it unbearable and pinched his nose as it kept penetrating his nostrils. At one point, he almost gagged because of the horrible smell.

"I ain't no doctor, man," Pigma said. "I'm lucky to escape with my bacon intact."

Wolf shook his head at Pigma's joke and then heard the clatter of Andrew's boots finally approaching. Wolf closed his eyes and let out a low growl as the white ape made his way into the medical bay. Wolf turned around and saw the ape bending over, with his hands on his knees, breathing in and out slowly.

"For the last time, Oikonny, I am not helping you out of your shit." Wolf didn't want to take his hand off his nose, but crossed his arms instinctively, leaving his nostrils open from Pigma's stench attacks.

"No! We did this together. We're going to pull this plan off and decimate that no good McCloud in the process." Andrew began to lift himself up as he finished the last words.

Wolf, Andrew, and Pigma all stood, and sat, in silence for a few beats. No one moved, made a sound, or flinched for that matter. The air that once reeked of sweaty pig and medicinal alcohol was left odorless. Wolf's gaze did not break from Andrew's yellow eyes, just waiting for them to blink and be the first to falter. After what felt like an eternity passed, Andrew was the first to speak.

"Say what you want, Corneria and Star Fox will be looking for us."

"You repeat stuff we already know. Tell me something that makes me get rid of you." Wolf then walked out.

Andrew, again, followed Wolf out and Pigma decided to get out of his bed to see where this would lead. They reentered the docking bay, where Leon was on one of the Wolfens, calibrating the trackers and gyroscopes for each ship. Once he heard the voices return, he peeked over to see the show unfold in front of him.

Andrew grabbed Wolf by the shoulder and turned him around. That act alone caught Wolf off guard. Wolf was quick to bring up his hand to possibly smack Andrew, but thought him the better man and used it to swat Andrew's hand off his shoulder. Wolf held back until this moment. The vulpine decided to unleash his true thoughts about the ape in front of the entire crew.

"You've been a thorn on my side for the past three fucking years." Wolf extended a claw on his right hand and put it under Andrew's chin. "Andross wanted nothing to do with and neither do I. Your actions on the team have done nothing but cause havoc. This recent stunt, resurrecting Andross, it's laughable at best. Not to mention are scouting mission got Pigma, here, injured."

Andrew took a quick glance at Pigma, who's dressing was falling off. The cut visible with the dried blood still crusted around the cut. The flesh inside was barley visible.

"It's his fault he groped her. He's got no one to blame except…"

"You." Wolf finished the sentence. "_You_ were the one to lead us out there. It could've all been avoided if we didn't follow your lead."

"I'll admit," Pigma began. "They were a nice set. Definitely worth getting stabbed for."

Wolf facepalmed himself. Almost like those words he said about this being Andrew's doing went straight out the large cargo doors.

"Because you probably get tired of groping your own." Andrew quickly snapped back.

Wolf quickly opened his good eye through his fingers. Pigma squinty eyes were now fuming with anger. Andrew turned around with a swagger in it. Wolf was beginning to see how this was going to end but didn't do anything to intervene.

"What was that… ape?" Pigma's fists were turning red under the pink.

"You know what I mean. If you need me to spell it out, I will. F-A-T-T-Y. Does that do it any better?" Andrew brought his face closer to Pigma's, and that was a mistake on Andrew's part.

Immediately, Pigma's fist connected onto Andrew's jaw. A loud smack could be heard echoing around the docking bay. After Andrew lost his footing, he fell into Wolf, who was knocked back and fell over a toolbox laying from Leon's work. Andrew then felt the sweaty hands of Pigma wrap around his neck and began to squeeze hard. The ape tried to twist and punch the arms to escape the hold, but the hog wouldn't budge.

"I pull my fucking load around this place to be here. You just cower behind power and don't have any brains or balls to show for it." Pigma's grasp became tighter and the ape's airway was being constricted more.

Andrew was turning purple by the second. He then saw a window of opportunity to try and break the hold. He got on a knee and used it to bash the cut on Pigma. The hog squealed as the hold began to loosen. Andrew did it a few more times before the cut began to reopen, blood beginning to splatter out.

Pigma couldn't handle the pain no more and finally released Andrew from his death grasp. The ape began gasping as the white color began to return. He then took this advantage to, again, bash the cut before taking a few swings at Pigma. Each meaty punch that connected on Pigma's face echoed against the walls.

Wolf got his bearings straight after hitting his head against the Wolfen's catapult. It was there, he saw Pigma now beginning to fight back. Both the ape and the hog were trading blows as the sounds of two man's fists were clashing. Wolf quickly got up and decided to go to the main person behind all of this. He grabbed Andrew by the shoulder, turned him around, and unloaded a hard punch, connecting to his nose and sending the scrawny ape flying before he landed between a pile of boxes filled with spare parts and mechanic tools.

The boxes tore open and the tools and parts fell onto Andrew. Under the pile, Andrew began to pick himself up. Holding his nose, eyes crunched together as the pain was growing worse, blood began to leak from his nose and found its way through the cracks of his hand.

"You're all going to pay. All of you! You're going to fucking pay!" Andrew ran out of the bay and down the hallway. Wolf looked to Pigma, whose wound was open again and blood was leaking out at a slow pace.

"I didn't even do anything," said Leon, from the Wolfen he was in. Leon jumped down and walked over to Wolf and Pigma, seeing Pigma's scar opened againt made him cringe and look away.

"He's going to try it, you know." Leon said.

"That kid isn't my problem anymore. He's going to get himself killed the moment he steps back there. It ain't my concern." Wolf turned around to Pigma, still clutching his wound.

"Get him back to medical." He ordered Leon.

"Sure." Leon gave a small salute and took Pigma's arm around his neck and lifted him up. "You could lose a few if you try."

"What was that," Pigma said in heavy breaths.

"Just a suggestion." Leon replied as he carried the injured hog back to medical.

Meanwhile, Andrew made his way back to his dorm, just on the other side of the common room. He searched for a suitcase or possibly anything to carry his belongings in. He looked around his bed and found a black suitcase for the job. Andrew began to empty all his drawers and his desk, stuffing everything into the medium sized bag.

As he finished, he turned to the corner of his bed and approached the wall. He lifted a loose cover and sitting there is the orb that contained Andross' brain, floating in purple liquid. The brain reacted to seeing Andrew and began to hit the glass, attempting to escape. The brain had, well, a mind of its own! It began to learn its surroundings and reacted to itself being lifted by Andrew's hands. Blood from Andrew's nose began to drip on the orb and brain scurried backwards, as if it was fearing it.

Andrew picked placed the orb on his desk, the brain still moving around to escape from its glass prison. He ripped a piece of towels he stored in his cabinet and stuffed a good amount in his nose to stop the bleeding. Once done, he grabbed his suitcase and picked the brain under his right arm. He opened his door and looked down both ends of the hallway. He wanted to take his Wolfen but figured Wolf would stop him from using his ships.

He then remembered about the docking bay on the other side of the station, a few minutes' walk, but the other wouldn't dare try to stop him from entering that side if he got a head start. Quickly, he checked his surroundings again before turning right, down the hallway before coming across a five-way intersection.

Andrew closed his eyes as he searched in his brain which way it was to the secondary docking bay. The brain in the orb was then bashing to the left, as if the tell Andrew which direction to go. Andrew went to door at the far left and opened it. It led to another corridor that was dark. Once he stepped inside, the lights turned on as the motion sensors were activated. Andrew continued down the hallway, seeing all the empty dorms and common rooms he came across. He wouldn't lie if he said this had an eerie feeling to it. A large station like this should be flourishing with those who followed in Andross' cause, and he had a feeling as to where those people would be.

Andrew quickly made it to the end of the hallway and opened the door. It slid open another docking bay lay there, empty. Once again, Andrew felt a small shiver as he never seen something this dead before. The lights turned on as the motion sensors picked up a figure in the area. The illuminated bay revealed a small cargo ship, one used to import and export goods in the station. Andrew made sure that none of Star Wolf was following him before he shut the door closed and overridden it.

The door closed with a metallic shut with a loud hiss. Andrew made quick work on disengaging the ship's locks. The locks lifted and the ship was ready for use. Andrew made his way down the stairs and quickly into the ship. The ship was of an old class, but he figured it would make do. Andrew powered up the ship and saw that it was half full of fuel. He quickly brought up a map of Lylat and plotted a course towards Venom.

The map took a few seconds to calculate before the fastest route was shown. Andrew would barely make it with amount of fuel left. He didn't hesitate any further. He placed his luggage and Andross' brain in the seat next to him and began to disengage the clamps under the ship.

He unlocked the doors to the bay and the pressure began to lower as the doors began to open. The empty coldness of space greeted Andrew as he had a wicked smile forming, the blood from his nose began leaking again. He switched the engines on and as soon as they were functional, lifted himself from the bay and out space. The landing gear retracted in and Andrew set the course to Venom. The ship began to whir and pick up speed as Andrew was now determined to revive his uncle and show the entire system he was not a force to recon with.

* * *

A/N: Happy St. Patty's Day. So, this was supposed to be uploaded last Thursday. Why? Because I was suppose to be in San Antonio today and in Austin tomorrow for SXSW. But do to the Coronavirus, the city of Austin shut down the convention. I was bummed as I had the whole week planned out and stuff. So, maybe it was for the better.

I also planned on letting y'all in on my Snapchat during my journey, but I guess I can still let you in on it, if you have it. I won't be posting updates though (as I have family and friends who'd probably make fun of me doing something like this). Add me if you feel like it, I won't be hurt if you don't: cyber_g2

Until then, Stabby out.


	11. Chapter XI

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter XI

ROB stood at the desk running routine inspections on the Great Fox during the early part of the ship's cycle. Checking the ship's current fuel supply was first. They were left orbiting Sauria after the fight with Star Wolf. ROB saw that they would have just enough to make it back to Corneria before they would refuel.

Second was the artificial gravity on the ship. Fox didn't make it much better because of the stunt he pulled to get to Sauria. The robot didn't have trouble fixing it before their return, so he checked it again to ensure it wasn't busted, or they would all be floating as of now. The door to the deck opened and ROB picked its head up to scan the body that had just entered.

"Good morning, Ms. Krystal. May I help you with anything?" The robot's monotone voice echoed in the quiet deck as it completed its scan.

"Hello, ROB? Was it?" She tilted her head in an attempt to remember the robot's name.

The robot nodded its head. Krystal took in the sight of the panoramic view of space. She only been in the vacuum of it once, during her escape from Cerinia, and was mystified at the darkness it held. The only illumination that showed throughout space were the many stars that were lit.

Krystal remembered a time when she thought the stars were waypoints left by her people's deities to guide them during hardships and times of need. She really needed their guidance during the time of her planet's destruction. She didn't want to remember all those she lost during the purge, but she needed answers as to who was the one responsible. She knew someone sent those creatures planet side to wipe out their main forces before Cerinia cracked.

As Cerinia depended on themselves to survive and not wanting the help of third parties, were unaware of the Lylat War that took place for the past five years. Not even the seers or shamans could see the combat that was happening outside their planet. The vixen looked at the time posted on the digital clock to the left edge of the window.

6:48

"Is there something you'd like to ask me, Ms. Krystal?" The gold robot asked to break the silence. The voice gave the vixen a small jump, but she regained herself quickly and turned to ROB.

"No. I'm still adjusting to the ship. It's so massive. I've never been in one like it." She took the surroundings in and her eyes wandered to the many control panels that were neatly in line, buttons she hadn't a clue what they did and had the urge to push, but didn't want to get in trouble with the team about it.

"I was wondering. Is there a place to train here?" She approached the desk and looked over the holographic schematics that ROB had displayed.

"There is a recreational room complete with a gym and training mats on the bottom floor. The elevator will take you there. Just press 'Rec Room' on the console."

Even if the robot had a monotone voice, she found it very helpful and was very knowledgeable with the ship. She gave a warm smile, even if ROB couldn't tell what emotions were.

"Thank you," she said in a calm voice. Then, walked out of the deck and down the hallway. She went back to her appointed room to retrieve her golden staff. She found it lying across the desk that was in her room, exactly where she put it. She carried out with her and headed out to the elevator. It was here where she saw the green toad walk out of his room, dressed in a blue uniform and white jacket.

"Oh. Good morning, Krystal." The toad said with a sleepy yawn, covering his mouth. "What's up?"

"I was just heading to your recreational room. ROB told me it's on the bottom floor," she replied.

"Oh, well I was going down to the engineering room. It's a floor above." Slippy rubbed his eyes, still trying to wake himself up. "Do you mind if I walk with you?"

Krystal saw this as a perfect opportunity to try and mend with Fox's teammates. She smiled and nodded her head.

"Not at all," she answered.

Krystal and Slippy walked to the elevator as Slippy pushed the call button for the elevator to pick them up. She looked at the toad that was quite shorter than her and saw he was rocking from side-to-side, as if he was caught in a trance.

"Slippy?"

"Yes?" Slippy shook his head out of small trance.

"How long have you known Fox?" She asked with peak interest and was all ears at his answer.

"Um, well. I would say most of my life. We're good friends and it grew more during our academy days." Slippy was still swaying to his sides. The elevator arrived and they both entered. Slippy pressed 'Engineering' and then 'Rec Room' for Krystal.

"How did you join this team? Did he have trials you needed to partake in?" The door closed as they entered and they both felt the cab begin to shift down. Slippy looked up at the console, head tilted and one eye squinted, thinking about how he joined the team.

"Not really. When Andross' attacks grew more, he dropped out of the academy and I followed. I know I'm not the best fighter out there, but Fox knows that my knowledge of enemy fighters is crucial when trying to pinpoint weak points." Slippy sounded proud of that statement.

"I must say, your ships are marvelous machines. How long did it take for you to build them?" She was referring to the Arwings that they flew. She only got a couple of glances of Fox's on Sauria.

"The Arwings? Those aren't technically ours." Slippy replied.

"There are not?" She looked confused at his answer.

"They were lent to us for use during the Lylat Wars. Space Dynamics are the main manufacturers of the Arwings. However, we are trying to ink a deal to buy them from SD." The elevator dinged as they reached the engineering room. Slippy walked out turned back to say his goodbye, but Krystal followed him into the room, wanting to continue their conversation.

"How much longer until they're yours?" Krystal followed Slippy into the room and saw him sit on a stool. The table was covered with tools and parts scattered in an unorganized pattern. Very uncharacteristic as the rest of the ship was in top notch order.

"We were hoping to own them completely by today or tomorrow, but we needed to call for an extension as we made the detour to Sauria." Slippy put on rubber gloves and turned on the welder. The static began to run into the machine as Slippy opened the gas valve, clicking the button on the wand to ensure the copper wire was in working condition.

"I'm sorry about that." Krystal said, placing her staff on the table opposite of them.

"Why are you sorry," Slippy said with a chuckle. "We were just responding to a routine distress signal."

Slippy found his welder's mask and placed it on his head. He then turned to Krystal who stood at the edge of the table. He looked down at his project and back at her.

"Are you going to be staying here," he asked.

"I was going to train, but I guess I could stay for a little."

Slippy looked around the table for a while before finding another welder helmet and gave it to Krystal. She took a hold of it and gave a curious look at Slippy. He explained how she needed to wear it so that she doesn't go blind from the light. She put it on and saw that it was pitch black inside. She had to grab onto the desk so that she didn't bump into anything.

Slippy lifted his mask to see Krystal struggling to stand up as the red helmet was a little big for her head. He pulled a stool from the table to his left and slid it over to her. She heard the stool sliding and found it. She sat down and heard what sounded like gas escaping from an open crack.

Then, a bright light appeared in her dark helmet and the sound of static hitting metal with orange sparks flying everywhere. Krystal watched the toad work on this project with much intensity, completely forgetting her training and was amazed at the sparks and the light.

Fox awoke with the AC still blasting on top of him. He needed to fix the vent quickly but kept putting it aside as other important matters were piling up, that was almost a year ago. He got up to face the cold, his fur stood up all over his body and his teeth chattering. He didn't mind it when falling asleep, as he could cover himself with his blankets, but it was waking up that his entire body felt cold, almost as if death had come over his room to embrace him.

Fox quickly got up and made way to his bathroom to begin his morning routine. Fox looked at his wrtiscomm before entering and saw that they were an hour away from Corneria. Fox took to the shower and quickly washed himself before standing under the hot water for another twenty minutes. He exited, brushed his teeth, went back to his room and put on his casual green outfit and white jacket. Fox let out a small yawn as he walked out of his room. He checked the time on his wrist.

8:23

Fox decided to make a quick check on ROB and the ship before he went to the den to make some coffee. He entered the deck and ROB was standing near the main console at the end of the deck, pushing buttons and turning knobs to adjust during the travel. Fox also saw that Peppy was there, on a tablet checking the headlines from the "Corneria Chronicle".

"These news outlets work fast," Peppy started. "Yesterday, they caught on to the rumor that we were sent to Sauria. Now, they're confirming that Star Wolf was in the area."

Peppy put down the tablet and didn't realize Fox walked in, meaning that he was talking to ROB about the news. Peppy stretched his arms above his head and let out a loud groan before an exhausted sigh and panned his vision towards Fox. The tod had one hand supporting his weight on the hologram desk and his other on his hip, one leg crossed in front of the other.

"The press can't get enough of us, can they?" Fox asked with a grin.

"They got nothing else going for them, so they just leech off any info about us." Peppy pinched his eyes. "I just want quiet when we get back. That's all I'm asking for."

Fox shook his head and lifted himself from the desk. He turned to ROB, who was maintaining the course to Corneria with ease, and asked for the status of the ship.

"Fuel is currently at 21 percent. We should make it to Corneria in time to refuel. Estimated time is thirty-four minutes." ROB looked at the ship's main engines and saw them in perfect condition after Fox's experiment with blasting them to Sauria. "Engines are still shaky after our jettison to Sauria. We will probably need someone to check them once we land."

Fox had to suppress a small grin but saw Peppy's face of disapproval. He turned back the gold robot before asking another question.

"Is Slippy up? I want to talk to him about his little invention." Fox saw ROB going through the logs that were reported in the ship's database.

"Slippy is awake. As is Ms. Krystal. Slippy is in the engineering room while Ms. Krystal asked for a place to train. I directed her to the recreational room." ROB began to walk from the hologram desk over to the main console.

_I'll check up on Krystal to see how she's doing._

Fox looked over at Peppy, who raised an eyebrow. Fox simply rolled his eyes as Peppy knew that he'd make a quick detour to see the vixen. Peppy didn't blame him, she was quite beautiful in her own right, but he feared that her beauty might lead to risky decisions made by Fox.

Fox exited the deck and approached the elevator. He pushed the call button, waiting patiently for the cabin to arrive. The door slid open as Fox walked it and pressed 'Rec Room'. He felt himself being pushed up as the elevator took him down to the bottom floor of the Great Fox.

The elevator dinged as he reached the recreational room. The room was medium in size, complete with treadmills, bench press, shoulder rack cage, and storage for dumbbells ranging from ten to fifty pounds. Blue floor mats covered the entire area and three large green yoga balls lay in the corner. Fox looked in and saw no sign of Krystal in the room. He even checked the back room, where the ice tub was stored, to no avail.

Fox scratched his head and jumped to the conclusion that Krystal may have gone back to her room after working out. He shrugged his shoulders as this was the only plausible explanation he could think of. He began to make his way back into the elevator and pressed the 'Engineering' button to check on Slippy and to see how his new invention was progressing.

The doors closed and Fox waited a few seconds as the door opened to the engineering room. It was there, he was greeted to an odd and humorous sight. He saw Slippy and Krystal, both with welder's masks, working on Slippy's black hole invention. Krystal had hold of the wand and was welding the metals together. Sparks were flying everywhere and Fox shielded his eyes from the light. Krystal finished welding the metals and Slippy fanned the red-hot area to make it cool down quicker and took off his mask.

"Still a little uneven, but you're catching on real quick." Slippy's voice had much encouragement in it.

"Thank you. It's still difficult to hold it steady when it has a small kickback." Krystal replied while intensely studying the wand in her hand. She picked up the helmet and felt a familiar presence near her. She turned back and saw Fox standing at the end of the opposite table from them. Slippy took off his helmet to see Fox as well.

"What's happening," asked Slippy.

"I wanted to check on your progress of your little invention, Slip," Fox started. "Seems like you already got an extra pair of hands to help out." He then gave a small grin to Krystal. She felt herself feeling a little red around her nose and quickly looked back at Slippy.

"Krystal's got some steady hands, that's for sure," he complimented. "I'll assume it's because she's great with her staff."

Krystal turned to the table where she put down her staff, took off the helmet she was wearing and stood up from the stool. She grabbed her staff and walked over to Fox.

"Do you still want me to train you, from yesterday, I mean." She said, staring directly at him. Slippy looked at both of them and felt a little out of place, even though this was his safe haven, and jumped down from his stool. He walked over to the zero-gravity room and entered. Maybe an over exaggeration on Slippy's part, but Fox did hear a drill going off in there.

"I'm going to have to rain check that," Fox answered. "We're approaching Corneria City in about twenty minutes, so we'll need to be on the deck when that happens." Fox saw Krystal's ears drooped a little. She was hoping she could spend some time with Fox alone and help brush up on his staff training he never knew he needed.

"Hey, it's alright. We still have the trip back, so you can train me then." He said and added a wink at the end of his sentence. Krystal felt little butterflies well in her stomach. She swallowed a little saliva that formed in her mouth before she her lips turned into a grin themselves.

"Okay. I won't go easy on you, though." She teased and brought the spear under Fox's chin. Surprisingly, Fox didn't flinch or was fazed at that and simply stood there, grin still holding its place.

**Corneria is approaching. All personal please report to the bridge for docking sequence.**

ROB's robotic voice on the PA filled the room which snapped both foxes back into reality. Fox had a nervous smile come across his face and Krystal caught sense of her actions and backed away a little. Krystal looked at him and mothed "sorry" to him, to which he put his hand behind his head and scratched it before calling out to Slippy.

"You coming, Slip?"

"Go on ahead. I'll be here for a little longer," Slippy's voice echoed from the small chamber.

Fox shrugged and started walking back to the elevator with Krystal following. They didn't wait long as the doors opened with the cabin not moving for anyone else. They entered and Fox pushed 'Deck and Quarters'. The doors closed and both foxes stood in silence. Krystal took a few glances at Fox before looking back at the ground.

"I talked to Slippy about how he met you. He had some very nice things to say." Krystal finished and saw Fox shake his head to get out of a trance he had himself in.

"Oh? Did he?" He chuckled nervously, wondering what "nice" things he said.

"He did," she replied. "He was very sincere in his words about you. How you both were friends when you met, and the many times you were at his aid, especially those who picked on him."

Fox heard those words and reminisced shortly on how many times Slippy was made fun of due to his small and chubby stature. Fox looked through all of that and saw a charismatic toad and a great friend to have fun and joke with.

"Would it be a surprise if I said it was tough during my academy days?"

"Why would that be?"

"Besides Slippy, I never really had any friends other than Falco, and he was hardly there most of the time." Fox yawned and stretched a little.

"Why would it be hard for you," she asked. "From what you and Slippy have told me, you seem like the perfect model for a leader and…"

"Exactly," he said, stopping her before she could say anymore. "Everyone thinks I'm perfect. I'm not."

Krystal turned to him with her head tilted. She was going to ask why he didn't think like before he explained to her.

"After my father died, there was a lot of pressure on me to live up to his name. I was 13, can you understand what kind of pressure it puts on a kid like that when trying to pursue the same career my dad did?"

Krystal was about to rebuttal his statement but decided not to and see what point he was going to make before she said her piece.

"When I joined the academy," he began. "Not many people saw me as a 'hero'." He air quoted the word hero. "They mocked me for not being able to continue my father's path. I showed them that actions speak way louder than their words. Of course, I dropped out and fought the Lylat Wars once I hit 18." The doors opened to the quarter's hallway and they both stepped out as Fox continued to talk, Krystal giving Fox her undivided attention.

"When I defeated Andross, I was welcomed back like a hero, as everyone wanted. But I don't want that. If anything, it makes my next actions noticeable and can put those I care about in danger, especially these guys. I wouldn't trade them for anyone else."

Krystal realized that he was talking about his crew. Slippy said he hand selected them himself and were the only true people he trusted in times of need. Each member had an important role and had once helped Fox during his time of need, he wasn't going to pass them off for top graded academy prospects.

"How do you think they see you," she asked as they approached the deck's door.

Fox stood there, staring off into a deep thought. What did his teammates really think of him? Was he qualified for this position? Is he too hard on them during minor mistakes? Fox just wants them to be safe during their encounters with those they encounter, so of course he'll take the extra step to ensure their safety. And if any of them were to die, he'd feel it would fall on him due to not planning correctly.

"I just hope they think I'm good enough. I'm not perfect nor do I want to be. I just want to make sure they're safe, as well as Lylat." Fox let out a long sigh. Krystal saw that through what he displayed; sure he was a gun for hire, but looking past that, she saw someone who was committed to his team and the safety of those around him. Traits she was too familiar with.

Krystal scooted closer to him. She brought her hand and put it on his shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. Her action caught Fox a little off guard as he turned his head back to her.

"I think you're a good man, Fox. And they think so too," she assured him.

Fox gave her a smile, before it turned into a smirk.

"You didn't use your brain to see, did you," he jokingly asked. Krystal backed up a little and took her arm off Fox before crossing them in front of her.

"I respect the privacy of those around me," she answered back, mildly annoyed.

"I believe you. I believe you. Just teasing." His chuckle turned into a smile laugh as he kept staring at her face. Her eyebrow arched up and didn't alter as Fox continued his small laughter. She rolled her eyes and playfully elbowed Fox in the side. After Fox let out a small "ow", he opened the door and they both stepped inside.

The deck was accompanied by ROB, Peppy, and Falco. ROB was still at the deck, checking the ship's status (does he ever leave that desk). Peppy and Falco were to the side, talking to one another. Peppy leaning against the captain's chair and Falco in his usual seat, feet on the console and was flipping a coin. When they heard the door open, they turned to see Fox and Krystal walk in together.

At that moment, Falco stopped flipping his coin and stared at the two for a good three seconds before turning around and continued to flip his coin. Peppy got up from the chair and approached the foxes.

"Where's Slippy," he asked.

"He needed to finish some stuff," Fox said. "He'll be up shortly."

Peppy understood how Slippy was a small nag when it came to perfection on his contraptions. He turned to Krystal, who was standing close to Fox.

"How has your stay been going, Ms. Krystal?"

Krystal smiled at the title that Peppy gave her.

"My stay has been fine, and please, Krystal is okay," she replied. "I wanted to get to training in this morning, but I ended up helping Slippy with his inventions."

As if on cue, Slippy barged in, out of breath as if he was running to not be late. He was bent over with both arms on his knees, taking in big breaths before he got them back in order. He stood at attention, his chest collapsing before rising again.

"Sorry about that," he started. "Didn't want to keep you waiting."

Fox chuckled and gave him a small pat on his back before Slippy walked over to his chair. He slumped in it before letting out a contempt sigh.

"Krystal says she helped you with your invention," Peppy asked Slippy.

"Yeah, she did." Slippy turned to Krystal. "I didn't even say thanks for your help. If you learn the welder more, you could make a killing on Corneria."

"You're quite welcome, and I'll keep that in mind." She returned her gaze to the holograms on the desk. The giant sphere was the in the center and displayed information and current events that were happening on the planet.

She saw headlines ranging from politicians trying to rebuild relations with the different planets under Corneria's protection to a recent robbery that had someone get away with over 100,000 credits from an ATM to about fifty different headlines about Star Fox and the rumors of chasing away Star Wolf on the distant planet of Sauria.

"It seems your planet is aware of your recent actions," Krystal said to Fox.

"Yeah. I'm hoping that Pepper covered the press for us. Never like answering questions for them." Fox crossed his arms. The Great Fox began to alarm as they began their descent into Corneria's atmosphere. "Strap yourselves in, everyone. Krystal, you can take the seat in front of Slippy."

Fox sat down in the captain's chair and began to buckle himself. Falco took his legs off the console and did the same, as did Slippy and Peppy. Krystal set herself down slowly and grabbed the strap and buckle. She clicked them together and tighten the end to her liking.

"Beginning descent to Corneria." ROB's voice said behind them.

* * *

The descent was as routine as they could have expected. With an escort to the CDF's lading platforms, the team waited at the large cargo door of the Great Fox until the all clear was hailed from CDF's air traffic control.

The tower finally gave the all clear and ROB opened the doors from the deck. The door lowered and the team began to walk down the ramp and were greeted by soldiers on both sides, giving them salutes as they walked past them. Krystal, staff in hand, took notice of the soldiers and how orderly and fluently they were in the actions. She looked forward and saw a grey bulldog with a helmet on, with the visor down, at the end of the line, a fist on his hip and other freely hanging on his side.

"He got you to be here too, didn't he," Fox asked his friend.

"His orders are, and I quote, 'just greet them'." Bill took at glance at the others in the lineup before stopping at Krystal. He brought his hand from his hip and picked up the visor covering his brown eyes, as if doing a double take. He then slowly moved his eyes to Fox.

"Um, Bill. This is Krystal. She'll be representing the EarthWalkers during our meeting," Fox said, hoping that Bill wasn't getting ideas, which he already was. Krystal could see that Fox was looking a little uneasy and decided to take see what this Bill person was thinking. She telepathically reached out to Bill's thoughts.

_Fox really found himself a keeper. How do you do it? Can you teach me? How? HOW?_

She pulled back her telepath before Bill could realize that his inner thoughts were being heard. A keeper? She didn't know if it would go to that. Sure, she found him attractive in a way, but she couldn't see herself like that, and yet she did.

_Stop it!_ Her inner voice screamed at her. _You can't be fantasizing about something like that now!_ It was with that, she snapped herself back to reality with a gasp, almost as if she had a revelation come across her face. Everyone heard her gasp turned their gaze towards her. Krystal felt all eyes converge on her and she looked down, as if in shame.

"I think we should head up, don't you," Fox said to Bill after seeing Krystal looking down.

"Uh, yeah. Let's go." Bill said and led the team towards the CDF tower. Fox nudged Krystal on the arm with his and gave a small, one sided smirk. She gave one in return and followed Fox as they approached the massive 100 floor tower. Krystal kept her eye staring up at the spire on top and craned her neck as it became less visible due to the other surrounding buildings.

Bill escorted them inside the main plaza. The hologram in the center of the hexagon center displayed current and past events in Corneria City. News poured through the hologram as well as weather and sports updates. They passed by it and the main entrances. The approached the front desks and Krystal was fitted with a visitor's badge. She placed it around her neck as they continued. They hooked a left towards the elevators and Bill stopped before them.

"Not coming," Fox asked.

"Orders were to greet you. That's it. General Pepper's on the 64th floor. The entire board is there as well, so be on your best behavior." He let out a wide smile towards Fox, to which he rolled his eyes and pushed the button to 64.

The doors closed and they were lifted up. Krystal turned around to see the hub growing smaller with each floor they rose. The beeps were constant as they continued to rise before slowing down at 62… 63… 64.

The doors opened and Fox stepped out first. The rest of Star Fox poured out with Krystal the last to exit, having been staring out the window too long. She stood with the team as Fox approached the receptionist's desk. The old brown lab behind gave Fox a look before he realized who it was.

"Mr. McCloud. General Pepper and the board are waiting for you," said the receptionist.

"Thanks, Rick." Fox motioned for his team to enter before Rick called out to him.

"Fox! Your weapons. You know where to put them."

"Ugh, God Rick, I hate that."

"General Pepper's rule."

Fox knew Pepper took extra precautions when it came to meetings at this caliber. He looked to the door and saw two huskies in uniforms and assault rifles in arms. Not wanting to upset Pepper more, Fox and the rest of the team obliged and placed their weapons in a bin and gave it to Rick.

Rick took them and was going to the safe behind the desk before he saw Krystal standing close behind the team, her gold staff hidden behind her. He took a quick glance at her before returning his eyes to Fox.

"Is she the one you picked up," he questioned as he pointed at her.

"Yeah. She's just with us for the trip and back," Fox answered.

"Not if Fox wants to keep her," Falco said under his breath. Unfortunately, Fox heard that and quickly gave him a threatening look and Falco picked up his wings and pretended to act scared by it.

"Miss, your weapon must go in the bin before you enter. General's orders." Rick said in the sincerest voice he could make. She clutched it more, not wanting to relinquish it.

Her bond with the staff was strong, though she felt uneasy whenever she was separated from it. She found it a great crutch for herself during her encounters, especially on Sauria. Her grip tightened to the point her fingers were growing white under the blue fur.

Fox came next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She felt his touch and her grip loosened.

"It's okay," he said. "Rick here will take care of it while we're inside." For what felt like the millionth time on this trip, she caught herself staring at Fox's eyes again. She felt it unfair that gems like his were trapped in those eyes. All she could do is mouth "okay" to him and she pulled her staff from behind her and handed it over to Rick.

Rick took the staff with his free hand, Fox was surprised that the old lab could hold the weight with one hand. He placed the bin with Star Fox's blaster and Krystal's staff on a table behind his desk and pressed a button in his computer to open the doors.

"They're waiting for you," is all he said as he sat down.

Fox took the lead as the rest of them followed behind him. However, Krystal was stopped briefly so the husky soldiers could scan her badge. They cleared her and she followed quickly behind them.

The war room was a large, multi-level, and dark area. Large monitors were mounted all around the wall and circled up to the ceiling. A DEFCON meter was hanging on the left side of the room, currently on a green four. Officials of different ranks were conversing and walking around, plotting courses and revising attack formations on more than twenty desks that were scattered around the room.

Fox and team made their way down the stairs into the room and most of the officials stopped their talking to give them a small salute as they walked by, then continued with their jobs.

They reached the the door at the far end of the room marked "General's Briefing". Fox gave it a knock before the door opened upwards and the team scurried in. They were met with a long oval wooden table with 16 chairs around. A large green chalkboard was behind Pepper's seat at the other end. General Pepper stood up and walked over to greet Star Fox.

"Good to see you take care of that threat, Fox." Pepper picked up his hand.

"To be honest, they weren't much of a fight." Fox brought up his hand and shook it.

They released their grip before Pepper went to the other three members and shook their hands as well, than in g them for scaring away Star Wolf. Once he reached Krystal, he placed his hand behind his back.

"Krystal, if I remember? It is a pleasure to meet you." Pepper then took off his hat and placed it under his arm.

"It is a pleasure as well, sir," she happily replied. "I wish to express King Auserij's permission to allow you men to be stationed on the planet and to be…"

"H-Hold on there, Ms. Krystal." Pepper brought his hand up to stop her from saying too much. "You need to save your breath for when we get the meeting going. Then, you'll say your piece. Okay?"

Krystal understood that she was talking to a man of high ranks in this army. She closed her agape mouth slowly as she didn't want to talk out of line, not that she hasn't done that before, but who's counting?

Pepper guided them to the left side of the table and motioned them to sit down. Fox sat at the chair next to Pepper, along with Krystal, Peppy, Slippy, and Falco. Opposite of them were four other ranking officers, one of whom was Col. Fetcher, who had the privilege of having Fox sit across from him.

"Now that we are all here, I think we need to address the main issue here." He turned his gaze to Krystal, who held a gaze back at him. She stared at him before Fox leaned over to her.

She saw this at the corner of the eye and heard Fox whisper to her, "Say it."

It took her awhile before she realized that Fox meant. She let out a small "oh" before she stood up quickly, which startled everyone in the room. She brought her hands together and began her small speech.

"My name is Krystal. I was sent her on behalf of King Auserij of the EarthWalker to relay a message to your general. King Auserij understands the measure that will need to be taken in order to ensure the safety of his tribe." She took a deep breath before she continued.

"I am aware of the threat known as Star Wolf. They landed on Sauria in an attempt to use the Temple of the Krazoa as a way of resurrection."

She stopped as one of the officials interrupted her, "Resurrection," the black falcon asked, a small shake in his voice. "Like bringing someone back?"

"That's what resurrection means," Krystal replied, annoyingly and quickly before she continued. "They did not have a specimen ready nor did they have the knowledge of how to perform the act. I intervened before they explored more of the temple. They left me for dead, until Fox came to my aid."

She took a small pause and closed her eyes. She opened them again and continued.

"I stand here telling you of the king's wish and he hopes that you will be able to stop this act from happening. He will allow housing for your soldiers and a small location outside his city will be reserved for you. He just asks that you respect the lives of those living within the city walls."

She let out her final words and sat back down slowly. She shut her eyes right and let out a long and quiet sigh, she was slightly shaking her speech. The room went quiet. The sounds from the war room on the other side of the door were the only noises coming through. Finally, Pepper turned to the four officials.

"You all must understand how serve it would be if Star Wolf or anyone else were to expose this temple for their gain." He eyed each of them to see their expressions. The falcon at the end looked down, not making eye contact. The white wolf was tapping her nails on the table. The brown spaniel scratched his head, thinking about possible scenarios. Lastly, Fetcher was the first to speak up.

"How did they know about that place?" Fetcher crossed his arms.

"I-I'm not sure." Krystal tried to find a reasonable answer. "They just appeared and they forced me to reveal the altar."

"An altar?" Fetcher was now listening.

"Each temple has one, as far as I know, and they hold mystical powers one cannot tamper with."

Fetcher removed one arm and placed it under his chin, "You seem to know a good deed on these places."

"The library in the EarthWalker's palace is filled with information on each local temple." She decided not to reveal anymore, as she figured they would probably search tooth and nail for anything related to the temple.

"Thank you, Ms. Krystal for your input." Pepper said to deviate from her unsure stature. "You seem well versed in the area. Your knowledge of the area is valuable for us to relieve them of any threats."

"Seems like a lot of manpower for just four rouges," the white wolf started.

"If they are trying to resurrect who we think they are," Fox said. "They're going to send everything and possibly everyone they know at Sauria. Have you checked up on Venom?"

"There hasn't been anything there since y'all took him down," Fetcher said, hands now clenched into fists.

"You may want to start checking again, Colonel." Fox emphasizes the last word. Fetcher began to show his teeth before Pepper restored order.

"That's enough." Pepper slapped the table a couple of times to get attention. "Everyone must understand where we are coming from. We don't know if Venom is a HVT now, but we will monitor it for the time being."

Pepper stood up and placed his arms behind his back, "Fox. I must ask your team and your acquaintance to step outside as we discuss classified matters on this topic."

Fox was almost quick to answer back before Pepper issued, "That's an order."

Fox stopped in his tracks as he couldn't fight a general's direct order. He got up and turned around. The rest of his team followed ipa den they exited into the war room. Fox exited last and shut the fort behind him, leaving them to discuss private matters.

"Now what," Slippy asked.

"We wait," answered Peppy.

"Well I'm telling ya," Falco started, "I'm going back to the ship. Ain't stayin' here with these stuck up snobs." He pointed a thumb into the crowd of officers and soldiers in the war room.

"I think we should go back to the Great Fox and wait for them to call for us." Fox's exhausted voice came through the loud echoes of everything else.

"Agreed," everyone said all at once.

They made their way up the stairs and out of the war room. They went to Rick to retrieve their weapons but decided not to as they would do it again when they came back. Krystal, however, got her staff back.

They filed into the elevator and Falco hit the 'Lobby' button. Krystal looked out at the hexagonal plaza below here as it became bigger as they went down. Krystal could hear the drowned voices of Fox, Slippy, and Peppy conversing, but Falco was still not in a good talking mood towards Fox. Krystal looked at the gap between the sky bridge that connected the building together. She saw the outline of the skyscrapers that made of the Corneria skyline. Before she knew it, the concrete wall blocked her view.

They reached the lobby and made their way through the crowd that was waiting at the elevator. Slippy, Falco, and Peppy turned to the left to the plaza, but Fox felt Krystal grab his hand and pulled him back.

"Um, is there something wrong, Krystal?"

She hesitated for a moment, but thought that if this was her only time here, she might as well make the most of it before they return to Sauria. Not wanting to waste this opportunity, she took it by the horns and began steering.

"Can you take me to the city?"

"Why do you want to-"

"This is my first time here. And if it's my only time, I want to see this planet for all it's worth. Please Fox. Can you?"

Fox looked at her and back to the other three, who realized that Fox and Krystal weren't following and stood in place at what was to happen next. Fox saw the fork in the road and decided to let free will take over.

"Alright. Let's go," he finally said.

"Really?"

"Yes," he said through a laugh. "You wanted to see the city. I'll take you."

Krystal held her staff behind her and felt her right foot begin to float and rub her left ankle. Her face lit up as Fox guided her outside the CDF tower, leaving his teammates standing in the plaza.

* * *

A/N: Aw, they're going take a stroll through the city. /)^3^(\

Been playing a lot of Phantasy Star Online 2 since the open beta is now live and being stuck in self-quarantine. Man, imagine after a year and coming back to read this and seeing my notes are going to be wild. Anyways, hope y'all are taking precautions and doing that social distancing stuff.

Also, we resumed classes today online and it was interesting. Really hoping all this blows over, but all we can do is just hope, right? I'm still on for weekly updates, so don't you worry.

Until then, Stabby out.


	12. Chapter XII

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter XII

The streets of Corneria City were especially busy during the late hours. Many people rushed to get home and those who had begun their afternoon shifts would crowd the streets with cars, which caused backups and traffic jams. Horns were being honked as if they were used to get cars to move out of their way. Luckily for the two, Fox's access to the CDF's exclusive monorail made bypassing all the cars easy and efficient. Fox wondered where he wanted to take Krystal first. The town square seemed like a perfect place to see the surrounding buildings.

The tram was big enough to fit about ten people, but Fox was able to request this one just the two of them. They passed by the cars on the highway, looking like smears on a canvas, thinking to himself how privileged he was to have such access for his works. He saw Krystal standing at the glass as she saw the many different buildings pass by them quickly.

"I've never seen buildings this big before." She turned back to Fox. "How long did it take for them to be built?" Fox was about to answer before Krystal interrupted. "Let me guess. Years? Decades?"

"Most of them weren't that long. With the technology we have here, they were built in a year or two." Fox stood from his seat and walked next to Krystal, watching the buildings go by as well.

"Who occupies them," she asked as she looked up at him.

"Most of them are offices. People who have the usual nine to five work in them."

"Nine to five?" Krystal asked with a curious voice and tilted her head. Fox saw her do this and it always made his heart skip when she tilted her head in that cute manner.

"It's just a saying for those who work during the day. Nine am to five pm. Rinse and repeat until Friday. I honestly think I wouldn't survive a job like that."

Krystal's head reverted back and she scooted closer to him. He didn't notice her coming closer as he was now caught staring at the buildings.

"What would you have done if you didn't have this profession," Krystal asked.

"To be honest, I don't know. I was born into the mercenary business thanks to my dad. So I really can't see myself doing anything else besides this." Fox looked down from the window and pressed his forehead on the glass and sighed.

"I know how you feel." Krystal said, standing beside him. "I was born into the warrior life on Cerinia. It's the only thing that I know and now that my planet is gone…" She trailed off before she could finish her sentence.

"What was your planet like? Before it happened." Fox sat down and patted the seat next to him. She sat down next to him and scooted closer to him, until they were touching shoulders.

"It was similar to this planet, but not this advanced. We all lived cohesively and shared the same beliefs. Everyone had to put an effort to make sure that all were living well. That didn't mean we were not advanced in our own sense." She stopped to take a breath and began to lean her head on his shoulders. Fox tensed for a little before he loosened and made himself more comfortable.

"Sounds like everyone was doing their part," Fox said in response.

"But it wasn't always so peaceful," Krystal said as she closed her eyes. "We had many uprises from our own people. Those who didn't want the elder's totalitarian rule were subjected to exile from our city. It was wrong, but I couldn't do anything for my warrior status would be tarnished. It meant everything to me."

Fox felt Krystal's head move up his shoulder, getting into a more comfortable position. Fox's heart started to beat a little faster as he had a small thought. He didn't want to as he was still unsure on how she acted towards him. He wanted to show sympathy for her as she was divulging her inner thoughts to him, an act she hadn't done since she had no one to talk to.

Fox decided to let a small sliver of instinct take over and leaned his head against Krystal's. He held his eyes shut, waiting for a response from the vixen, possibly for him to remove his head, but it never came. She began to move her head until her muzzle was next to his neck. Fox could feel her breath against his throat, and it made him start breathing a little heavier.

_Tell her! _Fox heard his inner voice rang out. _She needs to know about Cerinia! You can't hide it!_

"I think," he whispered. "We both have struggles we can't forget. I'm lucky to have friends like Slippy and Falco, but they don't know what I've been through. Peppy is an amazing person to look up to, but he can't replace my father. It was hard to hold it in, but I can't imagine what it's like to lose an entire planet. But it's good that you can talk about it, it helps the healing process a lot better."

Krystal listened to every word Fox said with an attentive ear. It also helped that his mouth was positioned close to her ear, making it flicker every time he spoke. Krystal felt his breath tickle her ear, which made her smile. She tilted her head up so that her nose was touching his neck, getting a quick sniff of him, before she moved it back down. Fox was watching her movements and deciphering what they could mean.

"Krystal." It was now or never for Fox to tell her.

"Yes, Fox?"

She looked up and Fox looked down. Briefly, their lips brushed against each other. They both felt a small shock and pulled back, staring at each other. Neither of them moved as they were afraid that one of them would say something. They sat there for another minute before Krystal started to move forward. Fox didn't stop her or move out of her way, he sat there, waiting.

He then felt himself moving a little closer towards her. Their eyes half-closed as the few inches between them became smaller. They stopped when they touched noses, not sure if the other was going to continue. Fox tilted his head and Krystal did the same and were about to close the final few centimeters.

**NOW ARRIVING AT CORNERIA CITY CENTRAL SQUARE. ALL PERSONAL PLEASE BE SEATED AS WE ARRIVE.**

Fox stopped and began to pull back. Krystal felt this and she pulled back herself, opening her eyes to see Fox staring back at her. She felt the car slowing down and looked behind her to see a large, circular park with intersecting streets and multiple buildings surrounding the park.

Fox stood up and brushed himself, using his hand to comb the white streak of fur on his head. Krystal, again, looked out the window at marvel. Her eyes couldn't stay in place for more than two seconds before she saw something new. Fox went next to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. She felt his touch and turned back to him.

"We got about an hour the most. Let's just enjoy ourselves while we're out there, okay?" He said with a small smile and extended his hand out to her.

She looked at his hand and back to him. A small smile began to form on her as she took his hand. She wanted to forget everything just for this one hour and walk around the city with Fox. Krystal tucked her staff into her holster as they both exited the rail. Officials that had access to the rail were waiting for the car to park. They started to make their way into the tram, ignoring and bumping into them as they entered.

Once that storm was over, they made their way down the flight of stairs to ground level. Krystal was still holding Fox's hand as they continued through another wave of civilians. Fox made a path for the two of them as they finally reached the doors outside the station. Fox opened the door and held it for Krystal to exit first. She noted his act of chivalry and as she walked by, brushed his chest with her tail.

She stepped outside and Solar's beaming rays blinded her for a second before she regained her sight. The view from the station was breathtaking. Even though she saw the tallest building in Corneria, being the CDF tower, the other buildings towered above them, stretching up to the sky. Krystal's mouth opened in awe as she looked down and saw the park in the center of the city.

Fox came next to her and took hold of her hand again. He led her down the small steps into the park. Krystal saw different species converging around the park, either walking around, sitting on the benches, or playing with their kids. They made their way into the park and walked around for a few minutes, holding hands and basking in each other's company.

Krystal looked at anyone they passed by. Giving each person a quick study before she moved on to the next person. In return, Krystal started to sense some hostile looks her way, possibly due to her wearing her tribal uniform. She knew it was very revealing, but she liked it as it did not slow her down like usual robes or cloths do.

She could hear the thoughts of many that they passed. The women around them saw and criticized how this blue-furred creature could wear something so revealing and without shame. The men were, of course, thinking as all men would. This wasn't new to her as men on her planet would do the same. She just pressed herself closer to Fox.

"Are there any merchants we can visit," she asked as they completed a lap around the park.

Fox's began to ponder on what they could do together. He knew that merchants for him were department stores. The Mall at Corneria Heights was the closest to them, so why not. They could visit all the stores there.

"Yeah, we have the mall. It's just a few minutes' walk on the other side of downtown." Fox held Krystal's hand tightly as they began their way out of the park. It was here when a group of fans approached Fox and Krystal.

"Oh no no no," Fox said in a panic.

"What's wrong," Krystal asked, seeing the group of fans starting to make their way towards them.

"It's just fans of me." Fox started backing a little while Krystal stood where she was. "Remember when I said I don't like being perfect?"

She nodded her head as she saw the group somehow became larger. People were shouting at Fox to get his attention for autographs and pictures.

"This is the consequence for people thinking that I am." Fox saw the group running toward him. He squeezed Krystal's hand and turned around. "Run."

Fox immediately took off while still holding Krystal's hand. She stumbled a little before she got her legs working and ran with him. Many people in front of them moved out of their way as they didn't want to get run over by them or by the mob of fans after Fox.

Fox knew that the fans wanted pictures with him, but with his luck, they'd probably drag him somewhere secluded and never be heard from again. He was not going to roll the dice on that bet. Their run lasted well outside the park's boundaries as they began zig-zagging through the streets and buildings, sometimes cutting through the lobbies of some offices and hotels to avoid the mob.

They were able to shake them off after five minutes of running. They found a secluded alleyway and both foxes were panting, hands on their knees and backs against the wall. Krystal got her breathing to normal before she spoke.

"Your friends seem to be very keen on finding you," she joked.

"It's a big cat and mouse game for me since we got back." Fox said through heavy breaths. "The three months in between Andross and now have been plagued with me avoiding these fans at every turn. They got actual traps set out for me!"

"How do you avoid them," she asked.

"I've learned their routes and find ways to bypass them," he answered, trying to sound tactical about it.

Krystal began to giggle a little and that giggle turned into a laugh. Fox stared at her as her laughter filled the ally.

"It's not funny," Fox said trying to contain his laugh. "It's serious," he couldn't say it with a straight face and began laughing himself. Both their laughs filled the alley, bouncing off the walls and reverbed back to them. It began to die down a little as they caught each other staring. Fox got up from the wall and brushed himself off. He extended his hand toward Krystal and she took it, picking herself off the wall.

"The mall should be around the corner. We've got…" Fox looked down at his wristcomm for the time.

_15:38_

"Forty some odd minutes to walk around and see the sights." Fox felt Krystal squeeze his hand and he returned it. He let out a small sigh before they emerged from the alley, Fox checking his surroundings before giving an all-clear. They rounded the small building and found themselves in the parking lot of the Mall at Corneria Heights.

Krystal took the sight of the ornate and gothic look of the building in contrast to the modern architecture of the other buildings surrounding it. The large opening had stained glasses surrounding a well.

"Fox, what is this telling?"

Fox looked at the windows and decided to tell a little history to Krystal.

"It's basically telling the story of how Corneria City became a bustling, non-stop metropolis. That one." He pointed to a glass which had a dog of an unidentifiable breed standing in front of a stream.

"That person went out from his local town and found a banking river. He was able to lead the stream back into his town and built a well for people to use."

Fox approached the well in the center of the stained glass and looked inside it. Krystal followed him and looked down, also. The well stretched down into the ground with a small puddle of water at the bottom. Krystal finally put two and two together and her face brightened as she turned to Fox.

"This is the well that man made?"

Fox nodded his head. "It's been sitting here long after his death. When the city was building the mall, they were extra careful to keep the well in place. They put these murals up to retell that story."

Fox reached into his front pocket and pulled out two 5 credit coins. He gave one to Krystal and she looked at him, wondering what to do with it.

"You toss one into the well and you make a wish," he explained. "Just think about what you really want then you toss your coin in."

Krystal looked at the metal coin for a short while before clenching it in her fist and closed her eyes. Fox did the same and they both opened their eyes. They looked at each other and Fox made a gesture that said to toss it in. Krystal went first and Fox went second. They watched the coins disappear into the well before hearing two small splashes from the bottom.

"What did you wish for," Krystal asked curiously.

"I can't tell you," he chuckled. "Then it won't come true."

Krystal squinted her eyes at him and Fox did the same to mock her. Krystal took Fox's hand as they both entered into the mall's large entrance. Krystal looked up at the skylights that made the natural light be the only source that lit the mall. From there, Fox and Krystal visited as many stores as they could within a forty minute window.

They made quick stops by clothing stores, seeing different selections and brands that were exclusive to those stores. Krystal's head jewel began to glow as her mind was racing with different thoughts and ideas they could do while they were here.

Fox dragged Krystal into an electronic store as he sampled the latest smartphones and tablets that were releasing soon. Krystal took a liking to this tablet, watching her swipe her finger on the home screen. Fox laughed as she was frustrated that she couldn't do anything else besides move these square icons left and right.

They wandered around and Krystal was getting the same looks she received when at the park, again she didn't let it faze her. She didn't want to have any negativity cloud her bonding moments with Fox.

Krystal was approached by many model agents who offered her jobs because of her "knockout body". She kindly refused them all, saying that her body was a powerful weapon and something one should not browse or fancy over.

The last fifteen minutes felt like days for both foxes. Fox was having a sweet tooth at the moment and decided to get some frozen yogurt. Krystal followed him into a nearby fro-yo store and was amazed at the many different flavors and colors that were on display.

"Do you want some," he asked.

"I don't know. It all looks so good." Her mouth was literally watering at the sight.

"Here. I'll get us a large so we can share, okay? So, take your pick."

Krystal looked at all the flavors and couldn't choose just one, so she just yelled out, "All of them!"

Fox eyes widened as she was willing to try the fourteen different flavors they had. Fox decided to lower that number down.

"How about just two or three for now?" Fox twirled the large cup he had.

"Fine," she said. She looked through the flavors and found the three she wanted. "Blueberry, strawberry, and watermelon." She said all three without hesitation. Fox nodded and began to fill the cup with all three flavors.

Once he finished he moved over to the dressing table. He picked out peanuts and gummy bears. Krystal took a look at the colorful array of sweets and picked out crushed cookies and cherries. Fox topped it off with some chocolate sauce and they finally checked out.

Fox weighed it and it came out to 12 ounces. He paid the cashier and grabbed two spoons and some napkins before he found a small table, secluded from the rest for the store.

They both sat down and Fox gave Krystal her spoon. She took it and sliced off a nice chunk, the three flavors bunched together with the toppings almost slid off her spoon, so she quickly put it all in her mouth. Fox stopped to see how this was going to end.

Krystal began chewing, feeling the different flavors and textures fill her taste bud. The sweetness of the berries and the watermelon contrasted the saltiness of the peanuts and chewy texture of the gummy bears. She gave it a few more chews before it ran down her throat.

It was here she felt a sharp pain in her head. Her eyes shot open as she felt something was stabbing her head. She placed her hands on her temple and began rubbing them as she moaned in pain.

"Ow ow ow ow!" It was all she could say.

Fox shook his head as it was clear what was going on. He decided to help her cope with it.

"You got a brain freeze." Fox said, trying his best not to laugh.

"My brain is frozen? How?!" She looked scared and confused at the same time.

"No, not really. Here, hold your tongue against the roof of your mouth." Fox explained to her.

"Why?"

"Just trust me."

She did exactly that. She pushed her tongue against the roof and the pain began to fade slowly. She held it there before the pain was gone.

"Better?"

"Yeah. How does that work?"

Fox looked around trying to think of an explanation to this weird solution.

"I don't know. Just let that be a warning for next time you eat frozen treats." Fox then started to get small serving himself. Krystal followed his lead and took apart the treat in small pieces, savoring the flavors.

"Well, well, well."

Fox nearly froze as he recognized that voice. He quickly turned from his seat and saw the familiar pink feline dressed in a yellow crop top and blue short shorts.

"Katt! What are you doing here?"

"What? Am I not allowed to enjoy myself for the day?" She spun her medium sized cup on her index claw. Katt then turned her gaze to the blue vixen Fox was with. Krystal's eyes were wide as she stared at Katt. She had her spoon in her mouth and slowly pulled it out.

"And who's this lovely lady you have with you?" Katt approached Krystal, her toothy grin didn't alter in the slightest.

"Hello. I'm Krystal." She extended a hand to appear friendly. Katt looked at it and her smile grew wider.

"My, what a lovey name." Katt took it and shook it politely. "Katt's the name. Don't you forget it." She shot a finger gun at Krystal.

Krystal wondered about her name and realized that it was the same one she heard Fox drop when discussing about Falco earlier. Not wanting to sound rude, Krystal returned her smile. "It's nice to meet you," she said kindly.

Katt backed up and stopped when she was next to Fox, not letting go of her gaze at Krystal. Katt then bumped her elbow on his shoulder quite rough, causing Fox to rub the area.

"Guess you didn't need my help after all, Foxy." She looked down at him. Fox quickly looked at her and began to stutter with his words.

"I-It's not what you think," he said shaking his head.

"Are you sure? Because it seems like it. Didn't think you still had it." Katt noogied Fox's head and he had to grab it to make her stop. Fox stood up and turned to Krystal.

"Just excuse us for a minute." He dragged Katt two tables down and let go of her arm. Katt looked down at her arm and made a small pout.

"A simple 'follow me' would have been nice," she said as she rubbed her arm. "And aren't you supposed to be on Sauria?"

"Okay, listen. We were there, but we needed to come back and talk to Pepper."

"Oh yeah. This definitely looks like Pepper's office." She said as she presented the entire store to Fox.

"We were there, as well, but they needed to talk about classified stuff. Krystal just wanted to come out and see the city. That's it." Fox began to read Katt's face. Katt was just staring back at him with her blue eyes.

"Don't worry. I completely understand." Katt gave a wink at him. She turned back to Krystal, who was poking at melting yogurt. She looked a bit awkward sitting alone. "She really is a cute one, I'll tell you."

Fox didn't want to agree with her, nor did he want to disagree. He was trying to find words at the moment and was stuttering. Katt patted his chest.

"There's no need for words, I know she's breathtaking. I'll let you get back to you date."

"We're not on a date," he tried to lower his voice so Krystal couldn't hear him.

"Sure. Whatever you say, Foxy." Katt walked over to Krystal. "I'll be taking off now. It was nice to meet you."

"It was nice meeting, as well." Krystal looked up to Katt. She saw Fox approach the table and Katt turned on her heels to face him.

"Catch you later, Foxy." With that, Katt left the table and went to the dispensers to server herself. Fox pulled out the chair and slumped into it. He placed his elbows on the table and massaged his temples.

Krystal saw Fox looking down. She was hesitant at first, but decided to brush her foot against his leg. That got his attention as he looked back at her. "Are you okay?"

Fox could see a very comforting smile grace across her. It really did brighten his mood as began to sit up. He cleared his throat and puffed out his chest a little, as if trying to show it off. "Yeah. I'm fine. She's always been like that, and I don't think she's going to change."

Fox looked down at their treat and saw that it was almost melted. Fox grabbed the cup and swirled it around, seeing the blue-pink soup shaking with every rotation. Fox shrugged his shoulders and went in with his spoon, making sure that he didn't spill it on the table. He tilted the cup towards Krystal and she started to scoop up some of the yogurt soup.

They were about to finish the treat before Fox got a transmission from his wristcomm. Fox looked at it and saw that it was from the CDF.

"Well, Pepper's calling us already. We should go. There's a rail in the mall we can use." Fox opened the comms and Pepper's voice came through.

"Fox. I'm requesting your presence again. We finished our meeting with the board. I'll brief you once your team and Ms. Krystal arrive. Pepper out."

The transmission ended and Fox stood up, stretching his arms and Krystal did the same. Fox grabbed the cup and threw it away when they exited. Fox led Krystal to the monorail station inside the mall and used his CDF pass to gain access for a private rail.

The ride back to the CDF tower was a quiet ride as they were forced to share the tram with other officials. Some officials shook Fox's hand to show their gratitude, while others took notice of the blue vixen tailing him. They had their say on the two as they sat at the corner of the tram, patiently waiting for the ride to be over.

Krystal couldn't help herself and peered into the minds of those inside the tram. The women were filled with jealousy as they saw Krystal's figure and bust, wondering how she kept both so perfect, which gave her a small boost to her ego. It all seemed to go away as she peered into the minds of all the men. Most of them had inappropriate fantasy about her. She had to let go as those fantasies were unbearable to see. She placed her elbows on her knees and massaged her temples, wanting to relinquish those awful thoughts.

She felt a small nudge on her shoulder. Knowing who it was, she leaned back and pressed her head onto his shoulder. She felts Fox's head rub against hers as she started to feel her eyes droop. She tried to stay awake but the need for a quick nap was coming ever so close.

"Go to sleep," Fox whispered. "I'll wake you when we get there."

She finally succumbed to a needed sleep as Fox started to feel the same way. His eyes were falling as well and decided not to fight it, letting his eyelids close as they both fell into a needed rest after their eventful day.

* * *

**NOW ARRIVING AT CORNERIA DEFENSE FORCE TOWER. ALL PERSONAL PLEASE BE SEATED AS WE ARRIVE.**

The automated voice came through the PA. It woke Fox up as his needed sleep half energized him. He looked out the window opposite of him and saw Solar beginning its downward decent. The sky was illuminated with a mixture of orange and blue. The colors seemed to flow so carelessly together with the perfect blend to complement the other.

Fox looked down at the blue head that was leaning against his shoulder. Krystal looked so peaceful sleeping on his shoulder. Sure, she had a little drool coming out, but he could care less. He nudged her head with his muzzle and she slowly stirred awake. She opened her eyelids and out came those turquoise jewels. She blinked a few times, trying to get her vision clear, and positioned her chin on Fox's shoulder, looking up at him.

"We're here," he said softly.

Krystal looked out the window to see the colorful sky. The dusk bathed the skyline in its fiery shower before they entered a tunnel, blocking a picture-perfect view. The lights in the tram came on and the white fluorescent blinded the foxes. Fox rubbed his eyes, still trying to wake up and Krystal did the same. Fox looked down at his wristcomm and saw the message Peppy sent him.

"The guys said they just arrived from the Great Fox," Fox said. "We'll meet them with General Pepper."

The tram slowed down in the CDF's station and stopped in place. An automated ding played as the doors opened. Fox and Krystal stood up and Fox, holding Krystal's hand, led them out the back exit, not wanting to deal with everyone coming through the front. They walked down the steps and emerged out of the stations and into the hexagonal plaza. They approached the central hub with the hologram of Corneria, seeing the status having not changed in the slightest.

They rounded the hologram and made their way into the lobby. They reached the elevators, waiting for a cabin to come down. They waited a few minutes before one reached them, spewing out official, journalists, and visitors. Fox quickly made his way in, pulling Krystal with him and furiously pushing floor 64.

As he was pushing, there were others who approached the elevator, yelling at Fox to keep the door open. All Fox did was wave with a smile as the door closed. Krystal looked to Fox and he had a small grin on his face.

"That wasn't very nice," she said.

"I just don't want to deal with people now," he replied.

She felt the same way. With how everything was going, she just wanted to be alone with Fox for the rest of the day. Maybe for the night, if she mustered enough courage. Or should he be the one to ask? Was he thinking about that? She was curious and quickly delved into his mind.

_I hope she thought today was okay. Argh! The hell you worrying about? It went great! She's looking at you. Just act cool. That's it cool. You're cool. What does she think is cool?_

Krystal realized that it was just a classic back and forth between his innerself. She began to retreat her powers from her mind and opened her mouth before she caught three words that almost shook her.

_Just tell her!_

Tell her what? What did Fox want to tell her? Her face was riddled with concern. She looked to her left, away from him, trying to get a good reading from those three words. She brought her head back and tried to push him of that information, hoping it meant good.

"Thank you," Krystal said. "For today." She gave his hand a squeeze.

"I-I hope you enjoyed yourself," Fox said, a blush forming on his cheeks.

"I really did. I hope we can do this again at another time." She made a bold move and interlocked her arm with his, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder. Fox tensed at the motion, giving Krystal an unintentional feel for his muscles. She responded by moving her hand up and giving his bicep a small grab.

"It-It's just been a-a while since I've done something like that." He moved his other hand to his neck and rubbed it.

"Doing what?" She gave him some puppy eyes, which almost gave him a heart attack.

"Going out like that. You know, with a… female." A small sweat drop leaked out of his pore and ran down the side of his face. "I hope we do this again as well. You know, once we're done with all this."

Fox felt her nod on his arm in response. He turned his body towards her, which forced Krystal to let go of her hold on his arm. He was facing her completely and she did the same. She noticed, and heard, that he was breathing a little heavy. His emerald eyes were darting to and away from her.

"What is it?" She asked as she closed the gap.

"Krystal. I." He felt himself get lost in her eyes and was moving closer to her. Krystal was doing the same, both lost in the other's trance. "I. I." Fox couldn't get it out, no matter how much he needed to tell her. He stopped thinking was their noses touched again. He felt her breath against his open maw.

_You're hopeless._

He shut his brain out as he didn't want nothing to ruin this small moment. He felt her lips brush against his, he just needed to close the gap.

*ding*

Fox sighed in defeat. Krystal knew this as well and they both pulled back. The door opened and both foxes exited, walking to Rick's reception desk.

"Ah Fox, your teammates went ahead of you. Go on in, I'll notify General Pepper you're here." Rick picked up the phone and dialed Pepper's number. Fox gave his thank and both he and Krystal were about to enter.

"Wait. Miss. Your staff. General's orders." Krystal didn't hesitate this time and took her staff out of its holster and placed it on Rick's desk. Rick thanked her and pushed a button on his computer which opened the doors. They entered the bustling war room, it seemed that no one had left their spots as each desk was filled with the same ranked officers planning out courses and talking to their squads that were out on missions across Lylat.

Fox and Krystal made their way across the floor and to General's Briefing room. Fox cleared his throat and let go of Krystal's hand. She understood why, but she felt liked the feeling of them holding hands and Fox taking lead.

Fox opened the door and let Krystal enter first. She did and saw the general at the end of the long table. On the left side sat Falco, Slippy, and Peppy. They walked around the table to their original seats.

"Fox. Ms. Krystal. It's about time you two showed up," the general said, mildly irritated.

"Sorry about that." He said as he sat down next to Pepper. He didn't say where he was as he felt Pepper didn't need to know that part.

"No matter." Pepper cleared his throat. "Now that everyone is back, our meeting with the board has concluded. We have taken this threat towards Sauria very serious, if our assumptions are correct. We have taken King Auserij's permission, courtesy of Ms. Krystal, for Corneria to set up a base near Walled City. The base will be headed by Colonel Fetcher."

"Whoa," Fox intervened. "Why Fetcher?"

"Trust me, kid." Fetcher's rough voice started. "I didn't want to do it either."

"Then why did you take it?" Fox wanted to press this matter further before Pepper interrupted.

"Fetcher was the most qualified on the board. It did take some persuasion, but I ensure he will do good on Sauria." Pepper sat up in his chair. "I suggest you and your team should head out to bring King Auserij the news. Fetcher and his platoon will arrive early the next day."

Fox gave a small nod. "Yeah, we'll head out." He stood up his teammates did the same. Pepper got up and extended his hand to Fox, to which Fox extended his own and shook Pepper's. He turned his gaze to Krystal and extended it to her.

"Thank you for coming Ms. Krystal. We will ensure your planet will be safe." Krystal shook the general's hand with a smile, holding the general's word as she did not want her second home to suffer the same fate as her first. She let go of his hand and they all turned to Colonel Fetcher.

"Yeah, get going," he said roughly. "I'll see y'all there."

With that, they all exited the briefing room and hurried out of the war room. They all retrieved their weapons from Rick and made their way back to the Great Fox.

"How's everything ROB," Fox asked as they entered the deck.

"The Great Fox is running at 93 percent capacity. Fuel is at 97 percent and damages due to the jettison to Sauria have been fixed." ROB said his report without stopping.

_At least she didn't fall apart on us._ Fox thought to himself.

The team was surrounding the desk with a new, safe course to Sauria plotted on the hologram's map. Peppy and Slippy each had a tablet that they used to go through the ship's checklist. Falco was sitting in his chair on the deck, flipping the same coin he left before they exited. Krystal stood near Fox, quietly playing with the hologram while no one was looking.

"Alright, I think we're all set." Fox's voice echoed. "Let's strap ourselves in." The team went to their appointed seats and buckled themselves in. The Great Fox got the all clear from air traffic control and began to lift itself up from the supports. The Great Fox shook as it ascended, making rattling noises that were common for the team to hear.

Once they were airborne, they broke through Corneria's atmosphere and were able walk around the ship. The trip would last another day or two, so Fox decided to return to his office to plan his own strategies. Peppy stayed with ROB on the deck, Slippy returned to the engineering room, and Falco went down to the recreational room. Krystal wanted to see Fox in his office but concluded that he needed time to himself to plan. She went to her room, which was across from Fox's, and shut the door.

Her sleep from earlier began creeping on her again. So, she decided to just fall onto the fluffy bed and let it take over her. Quickly falling into sleep's welcoming arms, secretly wishing it was Fox's arms taking hold of her.

* * *

A/N: Just a nice little outing between these two, nothing to worry about. Katt was a little difficult to fit in as I added her late. As in yesterday late.

Nothing more to say. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a date with 'Persona 5: Royal'.

Reviews are welcomed.

Until then, Stabby out.


	13. Chapter XIII

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter XIII

The rec room was possibly the only place there than his room where you could find Falco. The blue avian spent most of his down time here, doing curls with two 25 pound dumbbells, or cooling off in the ice tubs. He and Fox would always have friendly competitions on who could lift the highest bar. Falco was astonished that he could lift 225 pounds, but it seemed to crush his spirits as Fox out did him with 275 pounds. Only a 50 pound difference would be his only complaint, but now he had something else to complain about.

Since he saw the blue vixen, he was curious about Fox's true intentions. He didn't want to sound like a jerk during first impressions, but it kept bugging in the back of his head on how easily Fox was able to get a girl on the ship in just one night. Falco just kept thinking about how Fox would get upset on him and Katt fooling around the Great Fox from time to time. Fox even caught them once in his office, which then led to Fox's rule about Katt not being allowed on the ship unless it was for business.

Falco did put up an appeal for this, but over time, he and Katt found out that their relationship was hitting a rocky road. They didn't know how they were going to stay together when Katt was stuck on Titania for personal reasons. After that, they went on and off until the Lylat Wars came to an end. Maybe they could make amends when they met the next time.

Little did he know the next time was at the CDF. Katt made her appearance to Pepper's invitation, which greatly gave Falco a shock. And after her display of affection towards his leader, became a tad bit jealous. He placed the dumbbells back on the rack and stretched his sore wings. His feathers were crooked in some places, but he quickly fixed them. He moved his wings over his head and stretched upwards.

"Shiiiit," is all he said as a couple of joints relieved tension by making loud popping sounds. He exhaled as he placed them down. He heard his wristcomm vibrating on the matted floor and went to pick it up. He looked at the screen and saw it was Fox. He knew it would come. The last couple of days, he wasn't kind to the vixen. He may have gone over the edge with his choice of words. Words that ended up getting him decked in the beak by Fox.

"What is it?" Falco finally answered the call.

"Hey, Falco. When you get the chance, come by my office. I need to speak to you about something." Fox's voice sounded tired.

"I know what that something is," Falco answered back. "I'm not apologizing for what I said, if that's what you're calling me for."

"Just get up here!" Fox cut the transmission after that.

Falco strapped on his comm and was debating if he should run through a quick shower. He decided not to as he felt that Fox would make his meeting quick if Falco was going to his office smelling like medium rare.

He drank a couple of gulps from his canister and finally went up the elevator. He walked through the hallway and stopped in front of Krystal's room. He gave the door a look over before he turned his head back and rolled his eyes.

_Like Fox has a shot with her. _

He turned right from the deck and stood outside Fox's office. He didn't knock, he just entered. Falco saw him on at his desk, working pen and paper on their budget and expenses during this fiscal year. Falco had always suggested that he could take it to someone who knows this or just pluck the numbers into the computer. But Fox felt it that he should be the one responsible for this.

"You wanted to see me," Falco asked to break the silence.

"Yeah." Fox looked up; he desperately needed a quick nap. "Take a seat."

Falco sat down in one of the chairs and Fox pinched his closed eyes and sighed.

"I guess you know why you're here." Fox looked at Falco with tired, red eyes.

"No, I don't," he said sarcastically. "Would you like to explain, please?"

Fox wanted to burst right there, but kept it in. It wasn't worth his energy to raise his voice to Falco if he wasn't going to change his attitude. He did, however, get up from his chair to tower over Falco, showing the bird who was in charge.

"I want to talk about your recent responses to us having Krystal."

Falco crossed his arms and legs, as if he were a celebrity in an interview. His face was showing that he was pondering about something. Fox saw his eyes looking up and spoke.

"Stop pretending that you're thinking and give me an explanation as to why you're doing this."

"I'm not doing anything wrong." Falco sounded like he was the innocent one here. "What makes you think that?"

"Falco, just…" Fox leaned forward and placed his hands on the desk, head hanging low. He shut his eyes for a moment and pinched them with his hand. He took a deep breath before looking back at his fellow pilot.

"I get why you think I'm using my position as 'advantage', but it's not like that. Krystal joined us because she wanted to, not because I told her. You can complain all you want, she's here for business."

Falco leered at Fox, arms tightly crossed. His gaze then took on his usual cocky nature and grinned as he stood up.

"No hard feeling then, captain," Falco said with an extended wing.

Fox was thrown back a little. He was expecting Falco to raise his voice or possibly have another choice of harsh words, but none of that came. Fox looked at his wing and back to Falco for a few seconds. He slowly brought out his hand and was about to grasp Falco's for a shake before Falco spoke again.

"Just making sure it's all about business here, right?" Falco's grin grew wider.

Fox withdrew a little and clenched his hand into a small fist. He fidgeted with his fingers before the extended again. He finally took hold of Falco's wing and gave it a small shake.

"I know what you're thinking. Katt isn't allowed back unless she's here for, you know." Fox released his hand, thinking that this was all taken care of, however it was so seamlessly.

"Oh yeah, I know. Just making sure her rule applies to blue girl." Falco crossed his arms again.

"Yes, it does." Fox replied, mildly annoyed.

"Alrighty then. I guess we got this squared away." Falco turned to the door and opened it. "Also," he turned back, "will this 'Katt rule' go to every other girl you meet?"

"What are you getting at here?" Fox gritted his teeth to the point it hurt. Falco completely turned around and shut the door.

"Just wondering if the next woman you coax will fall under this rule of yours." Falco leaned against the door frame, arms and legs crossed. Fox was studying his copilot's posture and attitude in his words. "I thought that this only applied to Katt."

"It does," Fox raised his voice slightly, but not the point of screaming. Falco pointed his wing at Fox as if to spot out a flaw. "No. Wait. It's just named after her because of-"

Falco put out his wing in a stopping motion and approached Fox's desk. He placed his wings and stared Fox eye to eye. He brought up a wing and stuck out a feathered finger.

"Don't try and bullshit your way out of this." Fox had to back away as he could feel Falco's breath on his muzzle. "I saw you and her in your room. If I knew you needed privacy, I would have shut the door for you."

Fox looked down as he didn't think that any of his teammates would have seen him and Krystal talking about Cerinia's destruction. Falco then continued, "And what of your little date in Corneria?"

"She just asked to see the city. That's it." Fox looked back and could see that Falco was fuming under his feathers. Both were breathing heavily as Fox feared this could get a little violent. Fox knew he'd blame himself for his action on Corneria, but it was the spur of the moment. He just hoped that no one got a picture of them when they were getting close to each other, then it would go downhill from there.

"Yeah. The park. The mall. You forget that we can track you. Although, it was funny to see you run in circles." Falco snickered a little remembering seeing Fox's red dot running blocks around. Fox knew what he was talking about, being chased by fans was something both had to deal with.

"So, tell me Fox. What's your real game with her?"

Fox looked right into Falco's eyes and Falco stared back at his. There was a deafening silence between the two as it was blocked out by a knock on the door. Falco didn't turn around as he was certain as to who it was. "I bet all the credits in your bank it's her."

Fox was a little frightened to open the door, fearing Falco to be right. They heard the knock again. Fox didn't want to keep whoever it was waiting, so he rounded his desk and opened the door. To his surprise, Peppy was waiting patiently, a tablet under his arm. Fox sighed with relief.

"Looks like you would have lost," he turned to Falco. Falco, with his back still to Fox, rolled his eyes before lifting himself off and turned around. Falco took a glare at the old hare, who in return was daring his eyes back and forth between Fox and Falco.

"I'm sorry. I hope I ain't interrupting you guys."

Fox was about to speak up before Falco cut him off. "Nah, you're good, Pep. Was just about to leave anyways. Good talk, Fox." Falco patted Fox on his back before he exited Fox's office, giving Peppy a pat as well. Peppy saw Falco walk down the corridor and turn to the quarters area. He turned to Fox in his office who was leaning against his desk, head in his hands and trying not to just let loose on Peppy.

"What did you two talk about?" Peppy questioned as he closed the door.

Fox placed his hands on the desk and calmed down a little. Fox looked down and was thinking hard about his recent actions.

"Was it about Krystal?" Peppy approached his desk and sat in one of the chairs. Fox sighed as he couldn't keep this from someone who would help him.

"Yes. I get why he's upset. I. It's just." Fox looked down at Peppy who was giving him his full attention. Fox looked away. "Is it that obvious?"

"You tell me." Peppy handed him the tablet and Fox opened it. The front page of the 'Corneria Chronicle' had both Fox and Krystal walking in the mall, hands clasped together. He was afraid to check the headline but did it anyway.

_The Hero of Lylat has found his lover?_

He clicked the tablet off and tossed it back to Peppy. He placed his head back in his hands and groaned loudly.

"Make sure Falco doesn't see that," Peppy chuckled but Fox wasn't in the mood, shaking his head.

Fox removed his head and stared at the ceiling with arms to his side. "I'm not taking advantage. She just asked me to see the city. I couldn't think, I just said yes."

Peppy placed the tablet on his desk and turned to Fox. "Fox. You need to know what your boundaries are, especially when you have someone like Krystal aboard. And if you use your Katt rule to bail yourself out, you'll just be digging your hole deeper."

Fox removed himself from his desk and sat down in the empty chair next to Peppy. Fox made a slight groan when he began to lower himself.

"Oh, don't you start making those kinds of noises," Peppy said. "You're way too young for that."

"I'm just so tired right now." Fox leaned his head on his hand and rubbed his temple. "I just want to get this over with already. I know I can talk to Falco about this and get him to calm down more."

"And what about Krystal?"

Fox didn't speak, he brought his arm down to his lap and started to fidget his thumbs together. They sat there for a few minutes. Fox seemed to not want to talk about this subject anymore.

"I'll let you in on one thing," Peppy said. Fox was afraid to look at Peppy, but he did. "If you want to pursue _that_ with her. I'm not stopping you."

"What? Wait, what do you mean?" Fox was almost thrown back at that comment.

"Fox, she is a pretty vixen. I'm not judging on who you should see or not. I'm just warning you that you should know where your professional and personal life is when you're with her."

Fox listened to the wise hare's words. He hadn't been the best at separating both his lives, especially when it came to being in a relationship.

"I know you were hurting after Fara. Remember our talk. You made that decision." Peppy got up from the chair and grabbed the tablet on the desk. "You're an adult now, Fox. I'll be here for any questions you have, but for those that you are asking yourself, you'll need to find those answers on your own."

Fox stared at his pens on his desk with intensity. His face didn't twitch nor did his eyes blink, he just sat there, listening to Peppy's words echo in his mind. Peppy gave a small nod and began to walk out of the office. He began to open the door before he saw Fox's arm lightly shut it. Peppy turned to Fox.

"Do you think I have a chance?"

Peppy widened his eyes a little, but thought about it for a while. He closed his eyes and shrugged with a smile.

"Like I just said, there are answers you need to find yourself." With that, Peppy opened the door and exited Fox's office. The door closed behind Peppy, leaving Fox alone with his thoughts. He placed his hands on the back of his neck and massaged it for a few seconds. He figured he needed a long shower after this day.

Fox exited his office and shut off the lights. He began to walk down the hallway and and turned the corner into the quarter's hall. He looked up and stopped where he was at as he saw the vixen he just finished talking about. She was at her door, scrolling through the touch panel to see what features it had. Krystal felt a presence that she was being watched, so she quickly shot up and looked to her right.

Once she saw who it was, she gave off a smile. Fox still stood there, no emotion changing on his face. Krystal saw this and began to approach Fox. She checked her surroundings to see if any of his teammates would happen to come by, but felt nothing.

"Hello Fox. How are you feeling?" She asked as she stopped in front of him. Fox opened his mouth but nothing came out, not even a whine or grunt, just nothing.

Krystal saw this and quickly moved her hand flat under his chin to close Fox's mouth for him. Fox tensed at that action. "It's not appealing to have your mouth open like that."

Fox began to shuffle around her slowly, not looking away from her. Krystal turned her head until she was forced to turn around herself. Her face was filled with concern and decided to bring up why he was acting strange.

"Fox, is there something wrong?" She tried to approach him but he backed away. She saw this and stopped.

"No, nothing's wrong. Just a long day and… well I haven't had a good rest in a while." Fox finished his sentence drifting off, although it was true.

Fox went straight to work in his office after they left Corneria. That was about twenty hours ago, he'd take about twenty minute intervals and then back to work. They wouldn't be arriving at Sauria for another four or five hours, so Fox knew he needed to turn in and get some rest.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Krystal's voice was filled with concern for his well-being.

"Yeah. Don't worry about me. Really. I just need to sleep, yeah, that's all." He avoided making eye contact. Krystal could sense that something was getting him anxious, but before she could press for more, Fox backed all the way to his room and spoke.

"I'll just be in here. If you need something, just go to ROB. He'll be happy to help you." Krystal was about to answer back before Fox cut her off. "Great. Awesome. See you in a few hours." With that, Fox opened the door to his room and shut it. A mechanical click sounded as the door locked itself.

Krystal stood in the middle of the hallway, mouth slightly open as she was totally confused at Fox and his actions. She was going to head to his office to talk privately, but it seemed that something was bothering him. Not wanting to invade his privacy, she opted not to reach out with her mind to see what was troubling him. She figured he needed time to himself and went back to her room. As she was passing Fox's door, she heard small thuds coming from inside.

She stopped at his door and decided to just take a small peak at what he was doing. Her face became solemn as she could see Fox lightly tapping his head against the wall. She wanted to see what was bothering him, but something held her back. She leaned in and pressed her ear against the door.

She saw Fox lift himself from the wall and remove his white jacket. He sat on the foot of his bed and leaned his hands back and faced the ceiling for a few seconds. Fox started to unzip his shirt and placed it neatly on his bed. Fox sat there without anything covering his upper body. Krystal felt that she should withdraw her telepath and not impede Fox's privacy. Yet, she still peered in, wondering what he was going to do next.

Krystal saw Fox kick off his boots and stand up. He undid the button on his backside where the tail went through and then the button on the front. He took them off quickly and shook them as they got caught on his foot. Once he was free, he stood in the middle of his room in black compression shorts, stroking the white stripe that was on his head. Krystal knew she needed to stop and return to her room, but she couldn't move. She placed her back against his door quietly as she continued to eye in.

Fox went to his mirror and looked over his body. His arms well-defined and muscles showing as he flexed a little. He looked to his stomach area and saw that he was gaining a little there. He ran his hand up and down there and just stared, thinking about working on his abs and arms the next time he had a free day. He stretched and yawned as he needed a quick shower and sleep desperately.

Fox hooked his thumbs on the elastic band. Krystal's knew what he was going to do. She saw Fox begin to lower his shorts, she had to look away, but she couldn't. She started to breath heavily and her heart was pacing a little too fast for her, which caused her to finally lose her concentration and break her telepath. Her eyes shot open and she took in her surroundings. Thankfully, no one around to question why she was standing at Fox's door.

Once she got her breathing back to normal, she quickly trotted to her room, the door closing and locking behind her. She rubbed her eyes as they began to feel sore and water a little. She backed until she felt her bed and plopped down, removing her hands from her eyes.

_Okay girl. Listen up._

"Oh, great. You." Krystal said to herself. Her subconscious began to talk to her about what she witnessed.

_Yeah. I'm back, and it looks like you're still on about him._

"I mean, can I be blamed?" She fell back on her bed.

_Yes. You are to blame._

"Ouch. Coming from myself, that hurts." She turned to her side, away from her door and looking out the window at the stars glimmering in space.

_You knew it was right to come and speak about Sauria. But everything else with Fox, going out with him like that, it rubbed his teammates the wrong way._

Krystal closed her eyes and thought back briefly to what happened the day before. It was the first time since before her planet's destruction that she felt joyful. Just being next to Fox and having him show her the city for all its worth. Then again, she didn't consider how his friends felt by him ditching them for her.

"It was the best day I've had in a long time. He made me feel… happy." She closed her eyes and thought about being in Fox's presence. How strong and caring his aura felt when he was next to her.

_You've known him for like a few days and you're talking like you're in love with him or something._

Krystal's eyes opened and they darted everywhere.

"N-No, I'm not!" She silently screamed at herself.

_It sounds like it. It _feels _like it. And you know what, it's causing some chaos between his teammates. You need to give him some space to work around this. You know what that means._

"But I feel that-"

_No. You're staying on Sauria. He needs to do his own thing, as do you. Remember what you're there for._

Krystal sighed as she remembered her true intentions on arriving at Sauria, finding out what happened to her planet. Her search guided her there and she thought that someone there would guide her as to what happened.

_You'll talk to him and tell him you're staying on Sauria._

Krystal didn't want to agree, but she knew this to be the best option. Her eyes began to droop a little, feeling a small nap before they arrived in Sauria in the next couple of hours. She brought the covers up and felt the warmth surrounding her.

_You can never escape meeeeeee_

Her subconscious echoed in her mind as it faded out. She rolled her eyes under her eyelids and fell quickly to a small slumber.

* * *

The Great Fox made its slow descent on Sauria's surface. It had been three days since it first made contact on Sauria, now, as the bottom wings retracted back in to make room for the landing gear, Star Fox would make sure that not another threat from Star Wolf would happen.

The Great Fox finished its landing sequence and the cargo doors opened. Out came Star Fox, walking down the ramp as the three royals were awaiting them. Fox approached King Auserij and Queen Sosacau, who graciously gave a small bow as he came close. Auserij brought himself up and stuck out his large paw. Fox took his paw and shook it.

"It's good to see you back in one piece, Fox." The king was relieved in his words.

"It's nice to be back here. I actually like how peaceful and quiet it is here compared to Corneria." Fox replied as he placed his hand down. Auserij saw Krystal come next to Fox. Auserij had a smile on his face, but quickly fell to a small frown as he saw the small distance she put between her and Fox.

Fox noticed this. All he could do is let out a small sigh and turn his attention back to the king. However, it was thrown off as he heard the small squeal of the dinosaur prince come from under the king.

"Fox! It's awesome that you're back!" Tricky wagged his tail as he jumped around Fox.

Fox had to force a smile. As much as he grew a liking to the small dinosaur, he needed to be on top of important matters. Auserij was ready to scold his son before Fox saw this and wagged his finger no to the king.

"Tricky. It's nice to see you again. I know you want to play right now, but I have important matters to discuss with your dad." He pointed to Krystal, who was looking at the surrounding trees. "Why don't you say hi to Krystal?"

Tricky wagged his tail as Krystal was at attention after hearing her name. She looked at her feet to see Tricky rubbing against her leg. She smiled softly and knelt down.

"I missed you, Krystal."

"I missed you too, Tricky."

She began to pet his head and Tricky's tail wagged more. Fox turned his attention back to Auserij.

"General Pepper is aware of your planet's current state and is willing to help you drive out Star Wolf and their plan. We have an excellent commander in Colonel Fetcher coming to be stationed here in a few hours." Fox finished his statement.

"That is good to hear. And Krystal," he looked towards Krystal's way. Krystal heard her name and stopped scratching behind Tricky's ear and began to stand. "I hope everything was okay during your trip. General Pepper didn't give you a hard time, I hope"

"It was more than okay." Krystal began to walk up and stood next to Fox. "The general listened to everything I said. He wasn't a trouble in the slightest."

Auserij looked to Fox's left as he saw the other three members begin to walk beside Fox.

"I assume this is the rest of your team," Auserij asked.

"Yes. This is Peppy, Falco, and Slippy," Fox named them in order from his left.

"I am King Auserij," he started. "Welcome to Sauria and to Walled City. I thank you in your efforts for getting rid of those cruel individuals."

The three stood silent and Fox glared at each of them waiting for a response. Finally, Peppy cleared his throat and answered back.

"It wasn't a problem at all. Just happy to do our duty." Peppy placed his arms behind his back.

"It means a lot to us that you would risk you lives for our little planet. As a token, we would like to invite you all into our palace until your commander arrives. It's the least we can do for you" Auserij finished by giving another bow. The four members felt awkward to not bow back, but they followed Auserij into the palace when he lifted himself up.

* * *

There was a small knock on Fox's door.

Fox told his team that he was going upstairs to catch up on a few z's. The last hours on the Great Fox felt like heaven to him, only for it to be cut short only three hours in. He didn't want to be rude towards the Auserij's hospitality, but during their small banquet, he was nodding off every now and then. He finally decided to get even a few minutes of sleep to charge himself up.

That's why a knock here was not something he wanted to deal with. He wasn't thinking on who it could be and just groaned out words as he laid on the large bed.

"Leave me alone."

"It's me. Krystal."

Fox eyes shot open and he jumped out of bed quickly. He approached the door and exhaled slowly as he opened it. He had to do a double take as her looks always threw him off.

"I'm sorry, Krystal. I didn't know it was you."

"It's okay. I hope I'm not disturbing you."

He shook his head as he couldn't speak at the moment. They stood there until Krystal spoke again.

"Fox, can I talk to you?"

"Aren't you doing that right now," he jokingly asked, trying to relieve some tension between the two. Krystal shook her head with a small laugh before it went serious.

"No. I mean, can I talk to you?"

Fox saw something was bugging her. He didn't make it especially easy after he avoided her for the latter part of the trip, but if she needed some sort of guidance, he wanted to help her. Though it didn't help that he pointed her to the direction of ROB.

Fox motioned for her to enter and she mouthed a 'thank you' before she went in his room. Fox shut the door and Krystal sat on his bed. Fox sat next to her, feeling himself sink a little.

"So," Fox started, "what, um. What's wrong?"

Krystal let out a small sigh and turned to Fox.

"I've been thinking for a while and I feel it better if I were to stay here for the time being. I don't want to be a distraction to you or your teammates."

Krystal took another breath before she continued.

"I hope you don't get upset, but I went by your office and heard you and your friend, Falco, talking about… me."

"Oh," Fox began to blush a little. "Y-You heard that?" Fox started to anxiously shake his foot, the bed shaking as Fox did that.

She nodded her head. "Only a little. I didn't want to linger there as I felt it a private conversation between the two of you. That's why I feel it better to stay here. Maybe when things start to quiet down, you can come back. Maybe under different circumstances." Her voice sounded hopeful.

"I think that's a good idea," Fox said after a few seconds of thinking it over. "I was planning on searching the system for a while, and keeping tabs with Fetcher here would be helpful, but if you're staying, it'd mean a lot if you could keep us updated."

"I'm happy to be able to help you still," Krystal leaned in close.

Fox had to think about his next action carefully. Which part would it fall under? He had to stick to obvious one so he didn't sound like a hypocrite, so he opted to put his hand out for a handshake. Krystal looked down at his hand for a while. She too, was thinking about her next action.

She leaned in and wrapped her arms around his back in a tight hug, chin resting on his shoulder. Fox stiffened at her motion and his arms were hovering slightly above her. Fox didn't hesitate as he let his instincts take over and brought his arms around her back, chin on her shoulders. It felt like a missing piece to a puzzle was finally found and carefully put into place.

Fox's head slowly moved next to hers and he began to rub her cheek with his. Krystal felt the small warmth of this and did the same, rubbing together as they both found a small rhythm. Fox began to slow down and removed his cheek for Krystal's. Krystal felt his warmth leave her face and she turned slowly to him, meeting his eyes with hers. She leaned forward and, without hesitation, planted a small kiss on the side of his muzzle.

Fox felt her lips against the side of his face, the same feeling he had when she gave him the same on her first night on the Great Fox. The only sounds that could be heard were the two foxes breathing. Fox saw Krystal back a little further and glanced at the door. "Your friend is coming."

Fox pulled back himself and heard a knock coming from the door.

"What do you want," he screamed at the door. "I'm trying to sleep here."

Krystal held in a small giggle and gave him a friendly punch on his shoulder. The croaky voice of Slippy responded.

"Just letting you know that Colonel Fetcher is arriving now. Do I go get Krystal?"

Fox looked back at Krystal with a grin. She placed her hand over her mouth, holding back any laugh that tried to escape.

"I'll get her. Just meet us at the foyer. Okay?" Fox's ear flicked a little as it waited for Slippy's response.

"Okay," Slippy said. Fox could hear the toad's footsteps fade out in the hallway. Fox got up from his bed and held out his hand to Krystal. She took it with a small smirk and stood up herself. Before he approached it, he felt Krystal tug at his hand. He turned around gazed into her eyes.

"Please, stay safe," she whispered to him.

"I will," he whispered back. Fox walked up to the door and opened it, he turned back to Krystal.

"Just stay here for a few seconds. Don't want to give them the wrong idea." He gave her a thumbs up before closing the door. She understood why and lingered in his room for a while. She looked out his window to the open area where the Great Fox was sitting. She could hear multiple sounds of engines beginning their approach to Sauria, thinking them to be Fetcher and his crew.

Seeing this as enough time, Krystal exited Fox's room and went out to the top of the staircases. She looked down and saw the rest of Fox's team waiting for her. She quickly made her way down the stairs and into the foyer.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting," she said once she approached them.

"Don't worry, you're fine." Fox answered back. He subtly gave her a wink. She saw this and a small blush formed on her cheeks. She had to look away because she didn't want Fox's teammates to see her like this.

"Are we ready, Fox," Peppy asked, arms behind his back.

"Yeah, let's go." Fox led his team out of the large wooden door.

* * *

"So, this is Sauria, huh." Fetcher said as soon as he landed. His checked his surroundings at the trees and clean atmosphere. "Compared to Corneria, this place is quiet and clean."

"At least you and I can agree on one thing," Fox replied quickly.

"The rest of my squad is coming down as we speak. I assume this is where we'll be stationed, yeah?" He motioned his hand at the area in around the Great Fox.

"We're going to be leaving soon, so you'll have all this space to set up camps. The king is allowing you to have his guards around to help. Other than that, I think we'll take our leave." Fox turned around and saw the king appear form around the wall. "Speaking of who. This is King Auserij."

The king extended his paw towards the colonel. Fetcher stood there, wondering what to do. He then placed both his hands under Auserij's paw and slowly shook it.

"It has been far too long since we've housed Cornerian bodies on our planet. I wish you will do right for our planet and yours." The king gave a small bow towards the rottweiler.

"I'll assume you'll have everything ready for when we return. We shouldn't be gone for no more than a few days." Fox heard the footsteps of someone behind him and turned around. He saw Slippy approach him.

"We're all set. Ready to go, Fox?"

"Yeah," Fox answered, "I'm ready." He turned back to Fetcher and gave him and Auserij a small salute with two fingers before walking with Slippy to the Great Fox. They approached the mothership, but Fox stopped short when he saw Krystal waiting in front of the city's entrance. Slippy said something, but Fox didn't hear what he said. Fox turned back to Slippy and pinched his fingers together, signaling to give him a little time.

Fox lightly jogged to where Krystal was standing. Her head was down, but she lifted it when she felt Fox's presence near her. As much as Fox wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her close, he lifted his hand out to her and held it there. She saw this and was thinking the same thing, but not wanting to keep his teammates waiting, she extended her hand and grasped Fox's firmly and shook it.

_I'll see you soon._

Fox was thrown back at hearing her voice in his head. She held a smirk away from the look of his team, and he did the same. Fox released his hand from the shake and began to walk away. He then thought to himself if she was reading him right now, so he said a message in his mind so she could hear it.

_See you in a few days._

Fox couldn't turn back if he wanted to, he was just hoping she got it. Krystal put her head down in a smile, trying her best not to be seen. As she composed herself, she heard the large doors begin to close and the engines of the Great Fox start up. The ship began to lift itself off the ground and the landing gears retracted back into the ship. As the ship ascended, the two wings the protruded down began to reappear under the ship. The Great Fox continued rising until it was clear from the tree line.

Krystal continued to stare until the Great Fox was covered by the thick clouds of Sauria. She grasped her staff tightly and closed her eyes, praying that Fox and his team will complete their mission.

* * *

A/N: _This pain persists, I can't resist. But that's what it take to be Infinite! _Playing "Infinite" on a loop the whole day.

I need help.

Anyways, not much is going on. Just staying cooped up at home is all I'm doing. Spending some time with my dogs, online classes, and having some good ass Crawford and Shiner Bock. Texas beer forever!

R&R always helpful.

Until then, Stabby out.


	14. Chapter XIV

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter XIV

As space was known to everyone to go on forever, there were many places to stop and see the sights in the vast system known as Lylat. The pleasant and welcoming home, but desert, planet of Papetoon. The luscious and beautiful glaciers, yet freezing below anyone's liking, of Fichina. And of course, the bustling and always active, but crowded, Corneria. Many grew to the liking and expansion Lylat as it flourished at its own pace.

That didn't mean that all planets were the same as their counterparts. Especially the one rock floating carelessly at the very edge of Lylat. The smallest planet, some consider if it even is one, was once home to a maniacal threat that had ever come across the peaceful system. This once brilliant scientist grew to liking sick and twisted projects that ultimately killed civilians under his watch.

Those projects are what got him banned to this small planet. A planet filled with acidic seas, toxic air, and uninhabitable conditions that a healthy or sane person could live in. That is if your name isn't Andross. The scientist was gifted with knowledge, only to use that to bring the entire system to war and nearly destroyed all life in Lylat. He was defeated by none other than the famed Star Fox team that he onced broke apart, but this new iteration was headed by the son of the famed James McCloud. A revenge ten years in the making.

With Fox defeating Andross, Lylat prospered in the few months after his death, but now, Andross' fate rests in the skinny hands of his nephew. Who is currently flying him back to the planet he was originally banished to. Although, he wasn't returning with a full body, just a shell with a brain. A shell in which his nephew carelessly threw on the seat as he desperately left Sargasso Station to rid his horrible memories of Star Wolf.

"They won't have the last laugh when I, Andrew Oikonny, will bring back Uncle Andross!"

The brain in its shell tried to smash through but it wasn't strong enough to break the thick glass. Andrew saw that the brain was hitting the glass erratically and placed a hand over it, slowly, and creepily, caressing it. The brain scurried back as the purple liquid swirled in the glass.

"It's okay, Uncle Andross. You're going to be free. You will rule Lylat and I will be your number two. As it should be."

The brain curled back more as Andrew was petting the glass. As creepy as the petting was, this was the verge of someone who was blindly placing his trust on old papers and runes that his uncle tried to decipher. Andrew didn't know anything about this resurrection process and the papers that Andross had left we're not fully translated. By now, Sauria was filled with Cornerian forces just waiting for his return, so there was no way he was going back.

"We're here Uncle Andross. Venom. Did you miss it?" Andrew asked his uncle's brain as if he was having a conversation with it. Surprisingly, the brain reacted as if it was trying to answer back. "I knew it. You did miss it."

The ship they had come in was still not in great order. Some parts were lucky that they didn't give way during their voyage, so breaking into Venom's atmosphere was going to be a challenge. The ship began rocking as the heat was forming against the windshield. The bright orange flames lit the entire haul as the Andross' brain was swimming frantically in the shell.

Andrew heard the back of the ship begin to break and it almost sounded like something was opening. He closed his eyes shut as he didn't want to die not reaching the planet. Oh, how his former teammates would laugh at his idiocy if they were to find out. Luckily for him, the flames died out and the thick smog of Venom's atmosphere made things hardly visible. Andrew carefully maneuvered his ship down to the surface and extended the landing gear.

Once he was situated, the ship depressurized to Venom's gravity. Andrew looked around the ship for a mask to wear, seeing that the air was not at all breathable. He found one in the storage compartment above the passenger's seat and placed it on his head. He grabbed his luggage and Andross from the passenger seat. He pressed the open button on the control panel, hoping that Venom's smog didn't disintegrate him on the spot. The door fell open quickly and the smog entered the ship, covering Andrew in its green haze. Andrew took a tight hold of Andross under his arm and set out to the familiar location of his uncle.

The large base of operation that once housed Andross was a ruin, just like the different ruins that surrounded Venom before Andross arrived. Andrew approached two large metal doors; each had an engraving of Andross above two rapiers. The metal doors creaked as Andrew pushed one in with all his might. As the errand boy for Star Wolf, he was familiar with finding supplies in the labs and bases. There were times where he had to fight off stragglers from Andorss' former army as they were constantly around the base.

Andrew reached the innermost part of the base, it was here that the artificial oxygen built by Andross was still functioning, so Andrew took off his mask. The large area that had many of Andross' followers and supporters stood empty, nothing but the sound of wind and occasional creaks produced the only sounds. Andrew walked slowly into the large room filled with tables and chairs, thinking there to be more looters or something here to steal Andross. It was here where his theory was true as he was quickly thrown off his feet by a powerful force. Andross fell with a loud thud, but the glass stood strong, not even a crack was visible.

Andrew hit his back hard and he screeched a little as his body bounced up. He could hear Andross rolling on the ground. The metal floors echoed the rolling sound to the empty walls, but the room was nowhere near empty.

"Hey. It's Star Wolf's bitch," one large ape called out.

Andrew began to sit up and take around the surroundings. He saw three creatures around him, the large brown ape, a yellow lab, and black salamander. All races that inhabited Venom after Andross' rein, and the rest of his army that scavenged in his base.

Andrew felt himself being lifted by the brown ape and placed in a nearby chair. He regained his sight and his eyes widened as he didn't feel his uncle under his arm. He tried to get up, but the ape put a foot on his stomach, forcing down hard. Andrew felt his insides being pressed hard as the ape had a small smirk as Andrew breathing was becoming restricted.

"Any more crap you wanna steal from us?" The lab approached behind him and grabbed his shoulders with a squeeze. Andrew was trying to shake off the ape and lab, but they held their grip on him.

"Yo, Avery. What's this thing he's got here?" The salamander went to Andross and picked up the orb. The brain inside was swimming furiously. The salamander felt the orb shake with every bump Andross' brain made. The lab turned at the notice of his name and went to the salamanders.

"The hell?" The lab was astonished to see such an intriguing artifact. Avery tapped the glass and Andross scurried and curled back. Both were astonished to see this happen to a brain and the salamander tried to squeeze the orb to try and crush it, but glass held strong. Avery turned back to Andrew who was trying his best to breath. The ape held his foot firmly until Avery tapped his shoulder to let off him. Andrew began gasping for air and clenched his stomach. Avery stood in front of him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Oikonny, what is that?" He pointed to Andross' brain. He wondered if he should tell them so they could probably spare him. He could tell them who it is so they would join his cause. He got up from the chair and the salamander who held Andross didn't release his grasp from him.

"Give him back," Andrew demanded.

"Him?" The salamander's face questioned his wording.

"The fuck is in there," Avery shouted.

Andrew got a handful of his white hair on his face and wanted to pull it out. His face stretched as he groaned with a conflict. If he didn't tell them, they'd kill him on the spot. Not that it was any different from the other times Andrew has gone to Andross' base. He would do his best to avoid these scavengers and the remains of the army.

Andrew tried to lunge and grab his uncle from the salamander's grasp, but he was too quick to see it coming and avoided Andrew's lunge. Andrew caught himself before he fell on his face and quickly picked himself up. It was here where Avery pulled out a small blaster and held it at Andrew's face.

"I'm not going to ask again, ape," he said, gritting his teeth. "What is that?"

Andrew looked down the barrel of Avery's blaster before putting his hands up and slowly rising from the ground. Avery followed in between his eyes every inch he rose. Andrew's brown eyes were staring at his uncle, wanting to reach out and take hold of him so that he wasn't in the hands of these disgusting creatures.

"Just give him back and I'll tell you," Andrew almost had a plea in his voice.

Avery tilted his head in thought and finally sighed after a few beats passed. He placed his blaster down and directed the salamander without taking his eyes off Andrew.

"Give it to him, Solomon."

"What if it's a weapon or bio…"

"Just, give it to him." Avery didn't want to advert his eyes from Andrew. So, Solomon cautiously approached Andrew and slowly brought Andross from under his arm and outstretched him to Andrew.

Andrew took hold of his uncle firmly as Solomon let go his grasp. Just as Andrew thought he was able to explain himself; Avery quickly drew his blaster and Andrew couldn't do anything but use his uncle's case as a shield. The blaster shot out a red laser and it ricocheted off Andross' casing and up to the ceiling.

Everyone in the room scurried to the ground as the laser's loud blast echoed across the empty room. Andross' brain was floating before it shook itself from the daze and started swimming erratically. Andrew felt Andross move in the case as he held it close, arms wrapped around and creepily stroking it.

"What the hell was that about," Andrew screamed as he stood.

Avery and Solomon removed their arms from above their heads, shielding from any debris, and looked at each other with wide eyes. They returned their gaze to Andrew who still kept his grip on the glass case.

"Explain yourself, already," Solomon cried out.

Andrew, in a fit of anger finally blurted out the answer.

"It's Uncle Andross!"

Avery and Solomon stood staring at Andrew, trying to process what they just heard. They were so stunned at what Andrew told them that they didn't notice their ape friend approach Andrew.

"Say that again, puny monkey."

Andrew could tell that this monstrosity could snap him in half, but he held his ground and his hold on Andross. He placed his left foot back as to brace himself for any sort of strike.

"D-Do I need to repeat myself? It's Uncle Andross!"

The brown ape clenched his fists together.

"You dare say our master's name. You have no right." The ape's fists were squeezing tightly that his knuckles were piercing white.

"What do you mean? He's my family. I have full rights to say his name!" The ape was going to unleash a massive punch until he was stopped by Avery, having to use both his hands to grab hold of his fist.

"Hold on there, Hutch." He brought down his arm before releasing. Hutch looked back with eyes of fury before Avery spoke again. "Let's hear him out." Avery looked Andrew's way and motioned towards him to tell his story.

"So, I was looking through his office. I found a secret compartment that had all sorts of documents. One of which was where he hid his brain. Here, on the surface of Venom." Andrew sat in the chair, an elbow resting on Andross' brain as it swished around, banging on the glass as if to remove his nephew's elbow.

"He kept his knowledge in here." He brought up the brain. "If he were to perish, he would have instructions to bring him back."

Solomon cut in on Andrew's story. "Whoa. What? Bring him back? You can't do that."

"Oh, yes I can," Andrew said in a cocky voice. "He left me instructions to a place called Sauria. A place where I can bring him back to life."

Avery pointed a finger at Andrew. "So you're saying that Andross, our leader, left you instructions to bring him back from the dead?"

"Yes," Andrew said, standing from the chair. "He will give me great honors for doing this deed." Avery looked at Solomon and then to Hutch.

"Why in the living hell did you bring him back here," Avery asked.

"Star Wolf called my cause laughable. I left because they didn't see my full vision. I will be victorious. Uncle Andross will rise, and I will be at his side!" Andrew raised his uncle's brain over his head.

"I can see why they laughed at him," Solomon whispered to Avery.

"I still don't get how you know all this. Do you even know how to revive him?" Avery crossed his arms.

Andrew placed Andross on the chair, making sure he didn't roll off, and walked to Avery.

"Are you questioning me?" Andrew tried to sound threatening. Avery had to lean his head back as Andrew was getting too close to comfort.

"Yeah! And like, every other thing in your story. Do you know where to start with this shit?"

Andrew went back to the chair and retrieved his uncle. He placed him under his arm and began to walk away.

"Hey," Avery yelled. "We're not done here!"

"If you don't believe in my works, then Uncle Andross will make sure you'll regret it." Andrew made his way out of the empty room leaving the other three standing inside.

"What a fucking brat." Hutch said as he circled his arms. "I still want to at least get a good lick at him while he's here." He cracked his knuckles loudly.

"Still, I am curious as to how he found that orb. And to think, is it really our emperor?" Solomon places his hand under his chin, thinking intensely at it.

"He's got to be lying. But then again, other than Star Wolf, there's no reason for him to come back to Venom. We're barely surviving on our own here." Avery went to the chair and sat in it. He crossed his legs and brought his arms behind his head.

"You really think that he is holding Emperor Andross?" Solomon looked at Avery in disgust.

"The emperor did have a lot of secrets and tricks that we never knew about. For fuck's sake, we didn't know this whole damn planet was a teleportation machine. And with the emperor gone, there's no way we can power this thing up."

Avery stared at the hole that was made when the laser bounced off the glass casing. He uncrossed his legs and shot out of the chair, giving Solomon a small jump.

"I think he's right, about him having Emperor Andross." Avery brought Solmom and Hutch in a huddle. "We can take the glory for ourselves. Have the emperor crown us his underlings. We just need to cozy Oikonny up before we go in for the kill."

"How do you suggest we go about," asked Hutch.

"We'll play along with him," Avery answered. "I'll butter him up while you two act like dicks to him, not like you haven't already. After a couple of days, we warm up to him and when we go to this Sauria place, kill him and do this whole revival shit ourselves. Oikonny gotta have those docs with him."

Solomon glances at Hutch, who did the same. They shrugged at the same time before they turned back to Avery and nodded.

"Alright. I guess we'll do it," Solomon said.

"Cool. I'll be buddy-buddy with him for the first few days, then you all will come in soon, not to make it suspicious. Okay?"

"Gotcha, dude," Hutch said, giving Avery a loud slap on the back. Avery winced at that and rubbed his stinging back.

"I'll go do that now. Just alert the others that we'll be doing some rearranging these next few days." Avery broke the huddle and walked in the direction of Andrew.

* * *

"Your old room. This is where you assigned me to be with Star Wolf. I promised I'd make you proud."

Andrew stood at the center of a large chamber. A bed at the end of the wall and a large desks at one of the corners, no papers or anything as it appears to be cleaned out. Andrew approached the large bed and sat down, it was stiff and not comfortable. He placed his uncle next to him and the brain tried to push itself off the edge of the bed. Andrew saw this and caught Android before the glass could make contact with the ground.

"I know you're eager to be back," Andrew said. "But, there's the matter of Sauria. I know that McCloud will be there to protect the weak planet."

Andrew threw himself back on the stiff bed and lauded there staring at the ceiling. The room was slowly falling apart and Andrew was quite lucky that no part of Venom's acid rain or poisonous smog leaked in. Andrew could smell the outside as he was walking through the corridors. He was amazed on how the remainder of Andross' army was able to survive on the base for this long.

Andrew started to close his eyes, listening to the clinking of Andross' brain against the glass. He rolled the glass with his foot up to him and cradled it in his arm. The brain was surrounded by Andrew that it couldn't find a place to scurry away from him. It was where Andrew heard a loud bang on the door. He quickly shot up and pulled out his blaster from his holster.

He made his way to the metal door and slowly opened it. To his shock, he saw Avery standing there, leaning against the other side of the hallway. Avery turned to Andrew once he was in sight and picked himself off the wall.

"Hey, Oikonny," Avery tried to sound inviting. "I think we got off on the wrong foot back there." Avery opened the door more and leaned against the frame.

"Don't try and mush your way into my plans," Andrew growled back. "I'm not going to let you ruin my thoughts and…"

"I understand completely." Avery brought out a hand to stop Andrew from talking.

"What?" Andrew looked over Avery to see if he was hiding anything for an attack.

"I get it. You want your uncle back. We want to serve our great emperor." Avery brought an arm around Andrew and brought him close. "Listen. I know you have Andross in there." He pointed to the glass orb.

"Yeah." Andrew removed Avery's arm. "And?"

"I'd like to help you with this… resurrection process. It seems like a lot of work for one individual. You need willpower, and that's exactly what we have."

"You're saying that I don't," Andrew sounded insulted.

"Yes." Avery brought out one hand. "And no." He brought out the other. "You gotta be shit out of luck to return back here. Did Star Wolf really treat you that badly?"

"They did. They couldn't see my true outlook." Andrew bared his pointy, jagged teeth. He gritted them and the yellow stains began to show more prominently. "They called me a fool for chasing a wild theory."

"Well, I don't think you are."

"Don't try and flatter me. I know you just end the glory for yourself. Try to kill me in the process."

Avery gasped loudly and brought a hand over his heart, a fake, shocked expression came across his face.

"Why would you think of such a thing. You're the only one with the knowledge of that planet. Even if we did, I don't think we could take on Cornerian's forces ourselves. We need someone with expert flying skills." He pointed a finger to Andrew.

"You think I'm a good pilot?" Andrew actually sounded surprised at his statement.

"I saw you flying circles around Star Fox. Hell, I'd say you'd be able to chase them down yourself if you wanted to. I think Star Wolf was holding you back."

Andrew began to think about what Avery was explaining to him. How he was always regarded as one of the weak links of the team. How his own uncle neglected him and forced Star Wolf to take him, unwillingly. He was never praised for his surprisingly good pilot skills, he was just overshadowed by Wolf and his gang.

"You want to be the one to bring Andross back. I have no problems with it. It's just you need a group of ruffians who see just like you do." Avery tried to butter up Andrew more.

"How about the rest of my uncle's forces? How many are left?"

"Enough."

Andrew's eyes began to widen. He thought most of Andross' forces were dead or captured, but if it's true, he'd be able to lead a revolt on Sauria, and perhaps, Corneria. He thought on how pleased his uncle would be and how greatly he'd be rewarded. His mouth began to grow a wicked smile. Avery saw that and nearly shivered at how similar his and Andross' smiles were also it the same.

"Well," Andrew started. "I think we'll be able to pull this off. But, as for Star Fox, we need McCloud alive."

"Wait. Why him?"

Andrew went to the desk that was in the corner. He opened one of the drawers and pulled out a large hunter's knife. Andrew loved playing with this knife whenever his uncle was away from his office. He'd sneak in and take it out and twirl it between his fingers. He saw that he didn't lose his touch on it and was moving the knife between his fingers so freely.

"Because I want him to see his failure. How he will become Uncle Andross' new host. He will be the one that Uncle Andross will be reborn into. I must be the one to kill that fucker and make sure his name will be slandered until the end of time."

Avery was now a little worried at this recent turn around. However, he was more curious on the process and why Fox needed to be spared.

"How do you know we need him to be the host?"

Andrew turns around, the knife firmly in his hand and his smile grew wider. Avery compared that look to a killer who would stop at nothing until his next victim was found.

"Because, it's what my uncle translated. We need a full body to start with. As for the rest, we need to find that out ourselves." Andrew went over to the bed and picked up Andorss. The brain was swimming wildly as it caught glimpses of the knife in Andrew's hand. Andrew grabbed hold of his uncles and went back to where Avery was standing.

"Now, enough of that. We'll find it later. But now, take me to the others. I need to talk to all of them. To tell them that the rightful heir of Andross is here. And that I will bring back your legendary emperor to bring order to Lylat."

Avery nodded without a second's hesitation and led Andrew out of Andross' office and back into the large empty room. The room creaked as the wind from Venom picked up. Andrew and Avery walked around the tables and to a lone door opposite the entrance of the room. Avery tilted his head towards that direction, signally Andrew to enter.

Once Andrew was in the room, he was standing on a perched balcony overlooking a large, occupied area. His mouth opened as he saw the remains of Andross' army. And an army that was full of soldiers ready to fight. All they needed as someone to lead them.

"Soldiers of the great and mighty Andross!" Andrew yelled at the top of his lungs. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up at the source of the voice. "I come bringing you out of the shadows and into a new light. I, the rightful heir to Andross, will lead you to a new empire! One in which my uncle's reign will flourish over this system and many more to come!"

There was a small silence that followed. Everyone dropped what they were doing to listen, but most wanted to return to what they were doing after hearing that speech.

"Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding me," a spectator yelled out.

"This little shit is going to do that. Ha. You're laughable," another yelled out.

"Rightful heir, my ass."

Andrew recognizes that last voice and turns down to see the large Hutch with his hands on his hips.

"I am the rightful heir! I will show you that I am capable of bringing my uncle back!" Andrew decided not to prolong this wait and showed the entire audience Andross' casing.

The lizards and apes below saw the brain floating in the purple liquid and were mesmerized by it.

"My uncle preserved his knowledge in here. He is waiting for us to take it out. He needs to be resurrected, by any means. I know of a place that will serve as the ground of his new empire. He just needs his army to step up and be there for him."

Andrew extended a hand out to the crowd, who were still looking at the orb. Avery stepped next to Andrew and spoke out.

"If this is the only chance we have at getting back our emperor, we have to take it. I am with you Oikonny. I will be there for Andross' return."

Avery then saluted Andrew and brought down his arm. Andrew looked back at the crowd below and saw them all looking and conversing with each other.

"Who will join us in our conquest and takeover of Lylat?"

Andrew waited for a response. After a few seconds of silence, Andrew saw a red lizard in the back stand up. "I will."

A white gorilla stood up. "I will as well."

A green lizard, a black lab, ten more stood up. Forty, a hundred, two hundred rose up and devoted their lives to the revival of Andross. They began to raise their fists and pump them as they chanted one word in unison.

"ANDROSS!"

Andrew looked back at Avery, who just gave a thumbs up. He then looked at his uncle's brain and began to pet the case again.

"You year that, Uncle Andross? Your army is back and ready for more." Andrew brought this uncle over his head with both hands and the entire room exploded with cheers. Andrew's smile began to grow until a wicked snicker escaped his mouth.

Avery used this as an opportunity to look down at Hutch, and gave him an okay signal, setting their plan into motion. Avery began to chuckle himself as he knew he'd have the last laugh, and he would enjoy every second of it.

* * *

A/N: What's that I see in the distance? Is that the finish line? That means we are halfway there! Yes, if everything goes as planned, and I don't add anything else, we're halfway done with this story. There is a total of 28 chapters, and trust me, things will pick up.

I just read that in order to get the third semester in P5R, you need to get lvl. 9 on Maruki. It was such bullshit! There goes 70+ hours. I'm just switching the game to safe and blasting through the rest of it to do new game plus. Also, fuck Okumura's Palace. That is all.

Until then, Stabby out.


	15. Chapter XV

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter XV

"_Fox! Get this guy off me!"_

_Everything was flying around like a blur. Ships from both sides were exploding left and right. For Fox, he was just hoping he and his wing mates weren't the next ones. Especially Falco, who was trying to shake off two tangos who had been tailing him for the better part of their arrival._

"_Hold on, Falco!"_

_Fox also found himself in a jam. He was doing his best to shake off all enemy forces, but they kept tailing him after he would destroy them one after another. There seemed to be no end for them. As good as his piloting abilities were, they were really put to the test here._

"_Bill! Can I get some extra help here?"_

"_I'm sorry, Fox! We got our hands full here. The lieutenant colonel is trying to make a blockade for the planet, but they seemed to have pushed through it."_

Nice going there, Fetcher. _Fox said to himself. _

_Fox took a quick peek out the window to see the blockade being destroyed by a multitude of Venom forces. The three massive carrier ships seemed to slice in half as more ships began to flood down to the surface. Fox felt a jolt that brought his eyes back to his console. There was minor damage that was showing on his right wing. Fox attempted to somersault over them, but the ships expected this and followed with him. _

"_Still need some help here, Fox!" Falco chimed in._

_Fox briefly looked out again and saw Falco's ship being tailed as well as the Great Fox. The massive mothership was doing its duty of trying to eliminate any ships that got to close. In that frame were five Cornerian carriers that were assigned to help the planet's distress._

_They had gotten insider knowledge that an attack was going to happen at a distant planet called Cerinia. The planet was under the radar of Corneria, but any efforts to contact it was hopeless as they deemed the planet to not have life. _

_Their assumptions proved to be wrong as their spy made it clear that there was life on the planet, and that the mad ape himself wanted to rid it for good. General Pepper felt it to send a blockade to protect the planet. Afterwards, he wanted to make peace and a possible partnership with the inhabitants. But it seems to be coming with great costs._

"_McCloud! Get your team to the surface. Now!" The booming voice of Fetcher filled his Arwing._

"_I'd love to help," Fox said. "However, I have my hands… Shit!" Fox got hit again on the right wing. The began blinking yellow on the wing's status. Fox banked right and the Venom forces followed with precision._

"_I got you, Fox!" _

_At that moment, Fox looked up to see Peppy fly in and take out one of the fighters. He flew by and attempted to turn around to get the other one, but it seemed he was being followed himself. _

"_Thanks, Pep."_

"_I assume you can at least take out one. Not that I'm doing any better." Peppy had two fighters right on him, barrel rolling every one of their shots. _

"_Have you forgotten something," Falco asked sarcastically. He was taking out Venom forces in front of him while still being chased by others that crossed his path. _

"_Take a chill pill, Falco." Falco saw Slippy's Arwing fly down and take out the two ships that were following him. "Just waiting for the right moment."_

"_Waiting?" Falco didn't sound to pleased at that. "You were waiting? I could've been shot down during one of those and you were just wait-"_

"_Falco," Fox screamed out. "Not now!" He was furious that he wasn't able to shake off this lone fighter. He was trying every trick that he knew and somehow the fighter was able to keep up with him. _

Screw it. _Fox thought to himself and turned his Arwing ninety degrees to the left on his axis. He then turned on his boosters and picked the Arwing's stick up. The Arwing, on its left, began to speed out into a circle. The Venom pilot attempted to recreate this, but once Fox was parallel to the ship, he reverted upright and veered left until he was lined up. He took three shots and the Venom ship exploded after the second one._

Finally. _He sighed quickly before returning to Peppy to finish the last two in the area. Fox found Peppy easily, as he was still barrel rolling his was from the shots. Thinking that the fighters were distracted, Fox flew behind both of them and shot out one nova bomb. The blast was able to take out one of the ships, but the other that was caught was able to retreat back to the next area that had the Corneria forces. Fox decided not to chase it as it was practically dead at this point, that was until Falco shot it down. _

"_Bill. Our area is clear. You need help over there?" Fox flipped the comm switch and waited for Bill's response. _

"_Not really. Their numbers are low that it's practically two to one here. I think they've stopped sending reinforcements." _

"_Is that a good or a bad thing?" Slippy sounded concerned. _

"_I want to say it's good," Fox said. "Just keep our guard up for now."_

_The team went to the rest of the Corneria forces to try and help out with any stragglers and wanderers. They didn't seem to worry all that much as they saw Bill's Husky and Bulldog squads taking out the remaining Venom forces. _

"_Got them all, Bill?" Fox asked as they arrived in their area. _

"_I think we're good," Bill replied. _

"_Good job on your squad, Bill," Fetcher's voice came through. "Now we need you and… Star Fox to head down and take out the remainder that went planet side."_

"_Copy that, lieutenant colonel. You ready, Fox?"_

"_Lead the way."_

_All of Husky and Bulldog began to converge on their position. Once all twelve ships from both squads arrived, Bill took the leader's spot and led the way towards Cerinia. They didn't even move a few feet from their initial position until something exploded. A bright blue light expanded and an orb of electricity engulfed any ships in its radius, including the Great Fox and the Cornerian carriers. _

_Fox's Arwing shut down, the entire ship went black as he felt himself become weightless. He tried to flip the switch for the backup power to start, but that wasn't working either. His bet was that this was an EMP blast. He looked around at the other ships that were silently floating in space's vacuum. _

_Fox decided to not wait and began slamming his foot on the console. He felt himself drift from his spot only to stop due to him being restrained on his chair. He grabbed hold of his canopy handle and began to slam the console with his foot. As if one cue, the third one managed to restart the Arwing and the power was restored. Fox looked around and saw that everyone's ships were regaining power. It was here where a deafening ringing pierced Fox's ear. He cried out as he covered his ears with both his hands. _

"_What the fuck is that!" Fox could hear Falco's voice through the comms, thinking that everyone else was hearing it. _

"_Pathetic lot."_

_Fox's eyes shot open. The ringing began to quiet and Fox removed his hands from his ears, still hearing the ringing in them. Fox quickly looked around at his surroundings and didn't see the origin of that voice. _

"_You thought you could stop my plan."_

_Fox was frantically looking around, just waiting for the opportunity to shut up the mad ape._

"_Show yourself you coward," Fox demanded._

"_A coward? Why such harsh words to describe me?" The voice sounded taunting. Fox only gritted his teeth more. "I know you all mean well, but that doesn't do well to me. I want all of you to see, firsthand, my glorious new project. To show you that I, the wonderful Emperor Andross, should not be crossed with. So, kick back and enjoy the show."_

_Fox saw at the corner of his eye a small twinkle. He looked to his left and saw that twinkle become bigger until a flash of yellow light flew across and hit the planet's surface. The surface, on impact, began to glow orange before it began expanding. Fox could see the ring growing larger and realized that it was decimating anything that came in contact with it._

_The planet began to glow a dim red as the yellow beam began to penetrate the planet's crust. The wall of fire engulfed all life on the planet and the black remains of the surface was showing. Fox could see through the cracks on the surface that the beam made its way to the core. The core began expanding with the beam and eventually gave in to the amount of energy it was emitting. The core exploded and the planet was no more. Chunks of the planet shot everywhere, and the ships had to maneuver to not get hit._

_Once they were clear, Fox looked at the empty area that once held an entire planet. Fox sat there with his mouth open. The only thing that he could hear was Andross' horrible laughter filled his Arwing. He wanted to shake the laugh out, but it seemed it to etch itself in Fox's brain as he finally opened his eyes._

* * *

Fox shot up in his chair with a jolt. He was breathing loudly and sweating heavily. He placed his right hand over his left peck and clutched it, feeling his heart beating fast. He was able to get a grip on his surroundings and looked at the ceiling, being blinded by the white fluorescent in his office.

Fox got his breathing to normal and realized that his mouth was dry. He tried to swallow any saliva that was there but felt nothing going down his throat. He got up fast and almost had a dizzy spell, stumbling as if he was drunk. He grabbed the edge of his desk to balance himself. Once he got himself fixed, he let go of the desk and exited out of his office.

He just wanted a few minutes of peaceful sleeping since their recent travels to different planets and hideouts to find Star Wolf's whereabouts, but each trip was unsuccessful. Not to mention the many time they were ambushed by thugs and scavengers along the way. These last six days have been tiresome for the tod, that when he found out that Star Fox and Fetcher were going to be alternating watch on the planet, he was visibly relieved to be back on Sauria.

Fox made his way into the den and straight to the fridge for a bottle of water. He opened it and drank the entire bottle in four gulps, quenching his parched mouth. He leaned against the countertop and threw the bottle in the trash. Fox rubbed the bridge of his muzzle with his finger and thumb. He was wondering what brought him remembering that horrible image. The echoes of Andross' laugh still haunted him even after the planet's destruction, and it seemed to be following him here.

_Now you're dreaming about it._

"Can you leave me alone for like a minute or something?" Fox said to himself.

_Nope. You're being haunted by this. It won't go away until you tell her. She needs to know this. _

Fox held onto the counter. He could feel his claws begin to scrape the underneath as he stared intensely at his boots, trying to process what his inner conscience had just told him.

"Okay. I'll tell her." Fox sighed. "I just hope she doesn't think different of me, keeping something like that from her."

_Well, there's only one way to know._

Fox conscience disappeared as soon as it arrived. He lifted himself off the countertop and made his way back to his office. He shut the door and slowly lowered himself against it. He sat on the ground, legs extended out and hands together on his stomach. He began to think about how he would tell her. He began to think about where he would tell her. He began to think about her.

The past six days they had been away from Sauria, he wondered if she was feeling the same towards him. He had to push through his confused feelings towards her and focus on what only needed to be said. He found that his eyelids began to fall ever so slowly until he fell back asleep against his office door.

* * *

A/N: A shorter than normal chapter, but the outline I had for this is literally "Fox dreams of seeing Cerinia's destruction".

And yes, I Star Wars'd it. Doesn't everyone Star Wars it? Even Star Wars Star Wars'd it in Episode VII.

So, I've been thinking for a while, and I need to make a decision about those thoughts next week. It's nothing bad. I'll let y'all know next week what my final verdict is.

Until then, Stabby out.


	16. Chapter XVI

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter XVI

The night sky on Sauria brought out the various stars scattered across the blue-black backdrop. The countless twinkles showed how vibrant and alive many of these big balls of gas were. As for the blue vixen sitting on top of the temple's archway, she would stare constantly at the many stars that painted the night sky.

Her feet dangled over the ledge as she tried to count the stars in the sky today. She would lose track after thirty and would restart, only to repeat it again. She looked up and saw that counting the stars would be a two-person job, divide the sky and count the stars in their area before adding them up. And she only thought of one person who would probably be up for the task. She abandoned her counting and let out a small sigh. A light breeze caused her to wrap her arms around herself as a chill ran up her body.

Although they left on good notes, there were times where she felt alone without having his presence around. She remembered their last hug, how his arms were strong and well-defined, it brought a sudden rush of excitement to her. She kept denying this feeling she started to grow for him, and her inner thoughts were telling her to fight it, but she didn't want to.

She started to lean back to lay on the roof of the temple but forgot about the foot high barrier she was sitting on. She let out a small yell as she hit the bricks with a loud thud. Her back hurt a little before she stared at the stars. She couldn't see much as her bangs were over her eyes. She tried to blow them off but was unsuccessful, finally outstretching her arms as she felt her eyelids fall. She wasn't a stranger to falling asleep in or around the temple, such a landmark needed to be protected from vandals.

Her eyes finally closed all the way and was about to drift off until she heard the sound of engines whirring in the distance. She was used to this routine of hearing the engines at night, sometimes it would put her to sleep really quick, but the engines grew louder. She opened her eyes and looked up in between her bangs and could see the outline of a massive ship.

She removed her bangs from her eyes and immediately recognized the ship to be the Great Fox. She shot up and saw that the ship was descending over the small Saurian base that was next to Walled City. Krystal picked herself up and ran onto the nearest tree to slide down. The Great Fox's engines began to die down as it lowered itself to the surface. She could hear the pressure expel from the ship as it disappeared below the treeline.

Krystal quickly made her way back to the Saurian base. There were twenty tents set up for the soldiers that were being deployed every other day. Large portable lights were erected around the perimeter to shine during the evening. She wondered if they really needed that many soldiers for just four rogues but didn't want to bring it up as she would probably be ignored on the matter.

Krystal arrived at the top of the small hill and saw that there were soldiers piloting the Great Fox's descent. It had to be parked in the area behind the base. She made her way through the rows of tents, seeing that other soldiers were asleep or were on night watch. When she reached the Great Fox, she made room for the other soldiers to do their business. She could hear the large footsteps of Fetcher approaching her.

"A little late don't ya think," Fetcher asked her.

"I suppose. At least they made it back," she replied.

Fetcher let out a small huff as he stood next to Krystal. She heard another set of footsteps approaching. Bill Grey came next to Krystal and gave her and Fetcher a small nod. Bill arrived a day after Star Fox left, at the personal request of Fox. Bill didn't mind helping his friend and gladly accepted the request and brought his two squads with him. All three watched the Great Fox shut down and the green and red navigation lights flickered against the night sky. The clamps of the cargo doors unlocked and it began to lower itself. Light from inside the Great Fox began to creep its way through the cracks before the entire door fell open. Standing in a line from left to right was Slippy, Fox, Peppy, and Falco.

Fox began to walk down the ramp with his teammates following. Fetcher and Bill walked to meet them halfway. Krystal wanted to walk with them but decided not to as she wasn't sure how Fox's team would react to seeing her. They met and the they all gave a stare before Fetcher broke the silence.

"McCloud."

"Colonel."

"How were things up there?" Fetcher crossed his arms.

"Well, aside from the ambushes and crazed psychopaths we met, everything went great." Fox answered with a tired voice.

"Sounds like you had all the fun. It's dead here. Nothing's come in or out since we've arrived."

Fox let out a small snort and slightly shook his head. Sauria has started to grow a little on Fox, even if he had just been on the planet for one night. Something about it being so remote and free of the hustle made it feel comfortable. Obviously, he and Fetcher shared a different mindset.

"Thank God you guys arrived. I was starting to lose myself here doing the same thing over and over."

"Isn't that your job," Fox asked. Fetcher looked down at him.

"Watch your mouth, pup. When you get thirty years to where I am, you'll be itching to jump out of one place. Fortunately for you, y'all do that every day. So, maybe it's nice that you'll be staying put for a while."

Fox wanted to talk back, but was so exhausted that he couldn't keep his eyes open for more than a minute. Fetcher saw Fox in this mid-sleep state and mocked him a little.

"I'll grab a couple of soldiers and take my leave. I suggest you get your beauty sleep now, princess." Fetcher patted Fox on the head. Fox didn't like it at all and swatted his hand off of him. All Fetcher did was let out a small cackle as he called for a unit.

Fox saw Fetcher disappear into one of the tents. As of now, he didn't want to wait for Fetcher to return so they could see him take off. Most Cornerian soldiers made sure the takeoff was successful, lucky for Fox, he wasn't a soldier, so he was not going to stay around for Fetcher to leave. He turned back to Bill.

"Good to see you back, Fox." Bill picked up his hand and gave Fox a handshake.

"Good to see you too, Bill." Fox had a weak smile on him. "Everything okay here?"

"Yeah. It's been quiet. Couple of days ago, some guys from Bulldog went out and did a flyover the entire planet and found some interesting stuff." Bill looked over Fox and saw that he was rocking slowly, almost like he was going to fall asleep standing up. "Well, I'll tell you about it another time. Great seeing you."

Bill gave a small salute and Fox did the same. He watched Bill disappear into the camp and Fox turned around to his crew.

"We got a week here. I'm hoping Auserij will let us stay in the rooms he has. You guys can go ahead and sleep there. I'll see if ROB and I can set up for reconnaissance in the morning." Fox started to make his way back up the ramp before Peppy put out his arm to stop Fox, pushing him back to his original spot.

"You are going to get some sleep. Fox, you look awful."

"Well, I've been called worse," Fox said.

"Slippy, Falco, and I will handle the reconnaissance for you." Peppy started to explain before Falco interrupted.

"Hey, don't get me involved in recon." Falco gave Peppy a stare, but the hare held his ground.

"You need to get your head out of the weights and help us with this, especially when Fox won't be with us. We'll be happy to give you a refresher if you forgot." Peppy turned back to Fox. "Go rest. We'll be okay."

Fox didn't seem to put up any argument as he felt it to be in good hands. He let out a yawn and turned to head back into the EarthWalker's palace. He tried to keep his eyes open when walking back in, but he felt them closing, so he quickly made his way into Walled City.

Along the way, Krystal was still standing where she was, watching the events occur in front of her. She saw Fox walk next to and past her, not even acknowledging that she was there. His head was down so she couldn't see his face when he walked by. She saw him turn the wall's corner and into the opening of Walled City. She turned around and saw Peppy walking up to her.

"How have things been here, Ms. Krystal?"

"It's been slow. I'm just glad to see all of you are okay." Her head turned around to see if Fox was coming back for something. Peppy noticed this and tried to assure her.

"He needs his rest. We've been running around these last few days and it has been tiresome, especially for him since he has to be on top of everything."

Krystal understood this and nodded her head.

"So, what will you be doing," Peppy asked.

"I was going to turn in myself, but I heard your ship coming, so I had to see if you all were fine," she answered, not wanting Peppy to know that she was watching the temple.

"I'll leave you to that, then." Peppy gave off a friendly smile and a small nod.

Krystal watched Peppy return to Falco and Slippy and the three returned to the ship as the large cargo doors closed. She let out a small sigh and began to walk into the Walled City. She looked out to the temple in the distance, seeing the spire barley peeking out the tree line. She debated to go back but decided not to, it wasn't even her week to watch the temple. She just likes to be there as a cushion for the dinosaur soldiers.

She entered the palace and walked up the stairs to her room. She passed Fox's room and thought about it for a while. She stood in the middle of the hallway, trying to will herself to forget about it and just retire for the evening. Despite Fox's tired state and Peppy's explanation, she went to Fox's door and knocked once. She waited, hoping for Fox to be there, but he didn't show.

She didn't want to, but she peered in with her telepathic mind. She could see Fox was still up. He was barely getting undressed as he pulled his shirt off. Krystal saw that his muscles were more defined than the last time she saw them, she thought that he was working out in between days, and it showed. She blushed and was distracted at the sight that she let her telepath slip more than what she bargained for.

She could see Fox jolt up and rub the back of his head as if he was struck by something. Fox looked around to see if something hit him. He looked at the windows to see that they were closed, so nothing was thrown in. He rubbed his head a little more and felt it familiar for some reason. It was here where he started to grin a little.

"You know. If we were on Corneria, I could have you arrested for invasion of privacy." Fox looked at the door.

Krystal opened her eyes and could hear Fox's footsteps approaching. She picked herself off the door and watched it open. She held in her breath as Fox stood there, shirtless with his grin still on his face. Her face burned red and was growing by the second.

"But I think I would drop the charge if it was a vixen like you." He put his arms to his side and looked the blue vixen over. "Hey."

"Hi." It was all she could say.

"You're looking well." He said to break the silence.

"As are," she took a quick glance at his abs and back at him, "you. I was hoping I could, you know, see you." She placed her hands and staff behind her back. "If you want. I understand if you need to rest."

Fox looked back at the nightstand to his wristcomm. He set a timer for him to wake up in six hours. He saw that five minutes had been shaved off. Fox thought about it, but what would a few minutes staying up do to him.

"I think I could spare ten minutes." He said as he turned back to her.

Krystal's face lit up and a smile formed. Fox stepped aside and motioned for her to enter. She did and walked into Fox's room. She turned around and waited for Fox to close his door. Once it was shut, he turned around only to be wrapped by Krystal's arms. She placed her head on his shoulder and her muzzle was next to Fox's neck. She felt Fox's arms wrap around her; for some odd reason, she felt safe being in them. She moved her muzzle from his neck so she could speak.

"I actually missed you," she said. She felt Fox chuckle as he pushed back to look her eye-to-eye.

"Actually?" Krystal felt herself blushing again.

"You know what I mean," she trailed off.

"Don't worry. I uh. I actually missed you as well." Fox tightened his hug a little. Krystal could feel the strength he had, causing a rush of excitement to flow through her. She felt Fox let go and began to guide her to his bed. They both sat down before Fox spoke again.

"How have things been going?"

"Not much to say," she replied. "Well, like Fetcher said, nothing has come in or out."

"I'd say that's good, but I have a small feeling that it may be bad." Fox said with a concerned look.

"Why would that be bad," she questioned.

"I don't know." Fox's voice sounded unsure. "I guess my mind is thinking about Star Wolf building an army in hiding. They have to be hidden somewhere, but we couldn't find them. Even on planets with old leads and possible allies turned up empty." He placed a hand on his temple and scratched it.

Krystal tried to put herself in his position and think of a way to either find or lure them out. She thought of bribing old contracts to get them out, but that would be too obvious. She didn't know much about Lylat, so any planets Fox would mention would go over her head. She was basically stumped.

"Also, not to mention the many times we got ambushed." Fox continued his story. Krystal brought herself back to reality.

"Ambushed? By who?" Krystal almost said it like a demand.

"Just some pirates and smugglers who crossed our path. Nothing we haven't taken down before." Fox looked and saw relief flow over her face. "What about you? How have you been holding up?"

"I've been okay. Although it's been a little difficult to concentrate with Fetcher and his men. I know guys think like that, but sometimes it's a little too much for me. It also doesn't help that many approach me for… offers." Krystal's head went down.

Fox had a disturbed look on his face. "I'm sorry if they make you feel uncomfortable. I wish I could talk to them, but they won't listen to a merc like me."

"It's alright. I've just been in the library for most of the time. Reading about Sauria through the eyes of the EarthWalkers."

"Speaking of which, I've been wanting to check out the library for the last couple of days. See if there's anything of interest. Hey!"

Krystal was at attention after Fox raised his voice suddenly.

"Do you think they'll let us in now?" Fox asked with a curious face.

"It's the family's library, so it's always open. You're not possibly thinking about going, are you?" Krystal saw the bags under his eyes.

"I think I'd rest easier knowing what the planet is all about. Maybe I can find something you haven't," he teased.

"Oh, is that a challenge," she replied.

"Only one way to find out." Fox stood up and quickly put on his shirt. "Little nighttime adventure wouldn't hurt, right?"

"No. I guess it wouldn't." Krystal jumped off the bed, feeling excited about a small venture with Fox.

"You know where it is. Just lead the way." They both exited out of Fox's room and went down the stairs and into the foyer. Krystal took the lead here and turned right, away from the throne room and down the long corridor. At the end, there was a large spiral staircase that led down. Krystal went first and Fox followed.

The first level down they reached is where their location was. Fox couldn't help but to peek down the spiral to see two more floors.

"This place still goes down," Fox asked.

"Yes. The next floor is the dungeons and the last one is a bunker. You know, for doomsday stuff." She answered as they entered through the archway.

When Fox entered, he saw the rows of bookcases that stretched to the ceiling. The ceiling itself, he thought, had to be about twenty feet high. He wondered how the dinosaurs could reach up there. The room itself was large, almost as large as the Great Fox's deck. Krystal led Fox down the middle row and before stopping.

"Here we are. Feel free to get a library card if you want to check some books out." She said as she flicked her tail at Fox.

Fox chuckled and brushed her tail aside. He looked at the towering bookcases and wondered where to start. There was no letter on the shelves to indicate any authors. He doubted there was a catalog, and even if there was, he didn't bring his wrtiscomm and Krystal was probably not going to translate everything for him.

Fox saw Krystal turn into one of the rows and he followed. He saw Krystal grab a book from the fourth row and began reading to herself. Deciding that he didn't want to make this a wasted trip, he grabbed a book from the shelf behind him and opened it. A mistake as dust released into the open air and caused Fox to cough.

"I forgot to mention, some of these are a little old." Krystal said, not looking up from the book.

"Thanks for the," he coughed again, "warning." He placed the book back and left the row to begin searching himself. He thought about how he was going to read through these books. Take them back and pull an all-nighter. He shook his head as the last time he did that was his academy days. He circled the library once, not picking up a book from the wide selection the EarthWalkers had.

Fox started to think back to when he was in the throne room, how there was a secret room hidden behind a mural. He thought how this entire room could have a mysterious compartment hidden with something of interest.

"Hey, Krystal."

"Yes?"

"Do you think this place is rigged?" Fox saw Krystal poke her head from behind the bookcase. She had a disdained look on her face.

"What makes you think that?"

"You saw that room that Auserij has for outgoing communication. What if there was something like that here?" Fox began looking at the walls and knocked on it. Krystal put the book back and came out of the row.

"Like, hidden behind a wall," she tilted her head.

"Exactly, or maybe a book that's a lever to another room." His voice almost sounded childish.

He went into a row and began to pull books by their spines and placed them back as if they were a lever. He also pushed them in if there was a button on the back of the shelf. Krystal saw him do this to almost every book and was totally confused by his actions. She just stared at him as he went down the entire row pulling and pushing books.

"What?" Fox looked back at her.

"How could you possibly think there would be something hidden here," she asked as she crossed her arms.

"I've seen enough movies to know that a palace like this would hold something of high secrets."

"Movies?" She asked as if the word was foreign, which it was to her.

"Oh, it's just entertainment for us. Maybe once we're done with all this, I'll show you some. I think you'll like it." He continued his search.

"I'll be looking forward to it," she said as she followed Fox closely.

Fox went to another row and began to push and pull books by the numbers. He wondered how he was going to reach the top rows, maybe by jumping on the shelves and pulling himself up. Krystal decided they lingered in the library for too long.

"I think we've overstayed our welcome, Fox. Plus, you need to rest after your journey." She tried to grab his arm, but he would pull it away, determined to find a secret or anything of interest. Fox started to think this search was beginning to not go his way. He sighed as he finally came to his sense that his search was leading him nowhere. He looked down and saw a drawer on the bottom of each bookcase. He attempted to open it, but it was sealed shut. A little frustrated, he kicked the drawer.

"Fox," Krystal said sternly.

Fox turned and shrugged his shoulders as he heard a small click come from the drawer. He looked down and saw the drawer was pushed in. He saw the bookcase begin to vibrate and slowly move backwards; dust was falling from the top, so he moved back a few feet. Krystal stood next to him as she was taken back at Fox's suspicions.

The bookcase revealed another set of stairs leading down into a dark chasm. Fox and Krystal looked at each other and Fox outstretched his arms with open hands at the chasm, as if he was presenting it.

"Told you." Fox looked down into the darkness, only to see a small flicker of light at the bottom. He placed a foot on the stairs, fearing that they might fall apart because of his weight. It didn't, so Fox stood on the first step and looked back at Krystal.

"I don't think we should," she said with a small concern.

"Aw, scared are we," he teased. "I'll hold your hand if you are." He opened his hand towards Krystal. She scoffed and closed his hand and gave him a playful push as she joined him on the first step. They both walked down the stairs, being engulfed by the darkness as they descended. Once they reached the bottom, the room they were in was small. Small enough that they didn't think that a full-grown dinosaur would be able to fit in.

It was big enough to fit both of them, although a little close to each other. They continued walking until the room became narrow. Fox had to push his back against the wall and shuffle sideways, Krystal did the same. They stopped as they came in contact with each other. Fox looked ahead and saw the narrow corridor could only squeeze one person at a time. Fox went first and could feel the walls begin to constrict closer to him, but he pushed through and shot out and fell on the ground. He started to pick himself up until he felt Krystal fall on top of him.

"Ouch." Fox popped his head from the ground and faced forward. He began to lift himself up and Krystal started to get off him, helping pick Fox up as well. Once he was standing, he looked around and saw that they were in another room. This was an average size room with just a single torch. The only thing in it was an ambo.

"Any guess as to what this room is," Fox asked.

"I'm not sure. It's my first time here." Krystal answered.

"Do you think the EarthWalkers did this?"

"They weren't the first ones on Sauria. This palace predates them so it is possible that this was built before they arrived. Maybe the SharpClaws? There's no way a single EarthWalker would fit into this room."

The one torch flickered as a draft began to circulate. It was apparent that this room hasn't been opened for a long time as dust began kicking up. Both foxes began coughing from it. Fox went to the torch and picked it from the holder. He searched the room but found nothing except for the ambo. Fox approached it and saw that there was a large leather book with four gems embedded in it. He saw that there was a bookmarker and opened it, hearing the leather rub against each other. Once it was completely open, there was only one paragraph written across both pages in Dino.

_Uk kxo uckuh, kxo jxukkohot homuadj ev kxuk nxe nuj rudajxot. Xo nxe sumo ke uckoh cavo nuj opacot veh xaj fcawxk ev toukx. Xo nacc ro rihaot ucedw nakx xaj rocaovj veh ucc okohdak0._

"Could you," Fox asked Krystal. She approached the book and read it to herself first before she translated it.

"At the altar, the shattered remains of that who was banished. He who came to alter life was exiled for his plight of death. He will be buried along with his beliefs for all eternity."

Krystal placed the book down after translating it and turned to Fox, his face fully confused at what he just heard.

"Wait, so," he still tried to understand the words. "Hold on. There's got to be something more to this." He grabbed the book and began flipping through the pages but found them to be blank. He looked at the front cover, inside and out, but found nothing. He went to the back cover and found a marble triangle with a glass in the center. He picked it up carefully and saw that there was a marking of a triceratop's head on the triangle. Krystal looked it over as well.

"Do you know what it is?" Fox gave Krystal the piece.

"I can't say I do."

"If it is connected to the temple, we should probably see what it does."

She held the piece close to her. "I think we should leave. I'm not sure what Auserij would do if we were caught sneaking in here."

Fox nodded and closed the book. Krystal gave the piece back to Fox and he carefully held onto it. Fox let Krystal go first through the narrow passage. They reached the staircase and began to emerge from the dark. Krystal peeked out to see if there was anyone around and gave an all-clear to Fox. They walked out and Fox turned to the bookcase wondering how to close it. He saw the drawer was pushed in, so he took a handle and pulled it out. It clicked and the bookcase moved forward, covering the stairs.

They walked out of the library quietly and made their way back into the main area. Fox didn't want his team to be around as he knew he'd be in hot water if they saw him sneaking around with Krystal. They slowly made their way up the stairs and Fox was relieved to not see his team around, but he was intrigued by the mysterious puzzle piece he had. He entered his room and motioned for Krystal to follow.

"I want to, but you need your rest. As do I." She let out a small yawn. "We can continue this in the morning and go to the temple."

"I think that's a good idea," Fox said. "I guess I'll see you in the morning."

Krystal approached Fox and gave him another hug. Fox embraced it and wrapped his arms around her, careful to not drop the piece he was still holding. Krystal began to loosen and back away. Fox felt this and backed up himself. He stared at her and she offered a smile.

"Good night," she said.

"Good night," he answered.

Fox saw Krystal walk back to her room, which was across from his. He closed his door and took in a deep breath before letting out a sharp exhale. He turned to his bed and placed the piece on his nightstand. He checked the time remaining, four hours and forty minutes. His eyes started to shut as he sat on the bed. Not feeling like changing, he kicked off his boots and removed the covers before placing himself inside and covering himself. Slowly falling into a desperately needed sleep.

* * *

Solar began its slow rise above the horizon of Sauria. The dawn's light brightened any object that its rays could touch. Including the morning eyes of Fox, who shielded them as Solar was barely creeping over. Fox waited for Krystal at the entrance of Walled City after she needed to talk Sosacau about something.

Fox breathed in the morning dew, smelling the freshly wet grass as he knew the day would get hotter from then on. He heard footsteps approaching him and looked back to see Tricky walking beside him. Fox turned on his translator.

"Good morning, Fox." Tricky said in his playful manner.

"Morning Tricky." Fox yawned. "How have you been?"

Tricky sat next to him and scratched his ear with his back paw. "I've been great. Although, the soldiers here have been loud all day and night. How can they be up all the time?"

"Sometimes they work round the clock. I'm like that too." Fox began to sit down next to Tricky. "But I can see why they would be rowdy. They're used to the hustle of Corneria and to be transferred to a quiet planet like Sauria, it can take a while to get used to it."

"I see." Tricky said with interest. "So what are you doing?"

"I'm just waiting for Krystal. We were going to head to the temple."

"Oh, can I come?" Tricky shot up and wagged his tail. Fox thought about it and he didn't see any problem, as long as he wouldn't get too much in their way during their expedition.

Fox heard light footsteps and turned to see Krystal approaching. He got up and turned around, tail still wagging.

"You wouldn't mind if Tricky came with us, right?" He nudged his arm at Krystal. She looked down at Tricky, who had a big smile across his face, his backside swaying with his tail.

"I don't see why not," she answered. "A little adventure wouldn't hurt now, would it." She bent down and patted Tricky in his head. Tricky liked this affection from Krystal and immediately jumped down the steps from Walled City towards the temple.

"I'll lead the way!" Tricky began to march on the dirt path away from the wall's entrance. Fox and Krystal looked at each other and Fox gave a small shrug as they both followed behind Tricky.

The entire walk to the temple, Tricky would ask Fox questions a child would normally ask. Favorite foods and colors. What he does and why he's doing it. Fox answered each question in rapid succession as they never seemed to end from Tricky's mouth.

Once they reached the temple, Fox looked over the stained glass on top of the archway. The dinosaur in it was presented proudly with a mountain in the background. The three entered the temple and Krystal took the lead from there. Fox thought they would walk down the long hallway immediately as they entered, but Krystal took right at the archway down a smaller hall.

"So, what's down the long corridor," Fox asked.

"It just leads to an empty room. I'm not sure as to why." Krystal replied. "Do you know, Tricky?"

"Not really," Tricky said. "My father hasn't explained that room to me, yet."

As they walked down, they took another left and walked the long passage until Fox could see a table, no, an altar, at the end of the corridor. Fox saw the medium sized altar raised on a platform. He looked at the top and saw that there was a rocky formation as a cover. Fox ran his hand on the rocks, feeling the grain and dust picking up on his hand. He wiped them clean on his pants and reached in his jacket's pocket to pull out the triangle piece from last night.

As they walked down, they took another left and walked the long passage until Fox could see a table, no, an altar, at the end of the corridor. Fox saw the medium sized altar raised on a platform. He looked at the top and saw that there was a rocky formation as a cover. Fox ran his hand on the rocks, feeling the grain and dust picking up on his hand. He wiped them clean on his pants and reached in his jacket's pocket to pull out the triangle piece from last night.

"So, where would this go?" Fox asked as he placed it on top. Nothing happened. Fox placed his hands on his hips and took the piece off.

Krystal began walking around the altar, letting her hand run on the edges and feeling for anything of interest. Once she did a lap around, she felt an indent that made her stop. She looked down and saw a triangle indent. "Fox. Let me see it."

Fox quickly went to the back with her and gave her the piece. Krystal took it and she had her index fingers and thumb on the piece and one eye closed to align it perfectly. She heard the metal of the piece come in contact with the limestone finish. She heard what she thought was a click and let the piece go. It sat there for a good second before it fell out. Krsytal's eyes widened as she cupped her hands before the triangle hit the ground. She got back up and turned to Fox.

"Okay, I don't think we place it."

"Then what do we do? It's engraved with the same pattern. It has to fit."

Fox took the triangle from Krystal and tried to place it in, only for it to fall again and Fox having to catch it. His face went serious as he tried to push the triangle into the space with an open palm, he put his other hand over for more support. Krystal heard a crack from the piece and removed Fox's hand from the piece and it stayed stuck in place.

"Why'd you push me off," Fox said in an angry tone.

"You were going to break it. It was cracking. Didn't you hear it?" Krystal raised her voice as well.

While they were going back and forth, Tricky looked over the triangle and to the stained glass that was on the wall behind the altar he had been admiring since they entered. He noticed that they had the exact pattern, a triceratops head. His head darted back and forth from the triangle to the glass and his brain clicked.

"FOX! KRYSTAL!" Tricky's voice echoed in the empty temple as both he and Krystal stopped their small argument. "Look."

He raised his paw to the stained glass and both foxes looked up to see the same pattern. Fox looked back at the triangle piece and tried to shake it loose. It wasn't working, so he had to pry it off with a flat rock. Fox was able to free it, he closed one eye and aligned the stained glass with the triangle. He turned around and did the same for the space on the altar.

"Oh. That is clever." Fox said with a smile. As if this was something out of a movie, he realized that they needed a source of light to shine through all three artifacts. He saw the rays from Solar rising through the temple, but it could take hours before they reached that specific spot. Even then, there were trees covering most of the area, so hardly any light would have shone through there.

"We need a light source to shine through the glass and hit the piece." Fox explained. "I suppose we aren't going to wait until Solar comes around. So any ideas?"

Krystal looked at the stained glass and to her staff and a small smile began to form. She looked at Fox and the smile turned a little grin. Fox noticed this and began to grow a little worried at what she had planned.

"I think I got something."

* * *

"Fox! Stop moving so much!"

"It doesn't help that you keep shifting your weight! You're not as light as you look!"

"Excuse me?"

"S-Sorry!"

Krystal scoffed as she tried to reach as high as she could, her staff outstretched to the sky.

Fox was unsure how she talked him into this. He wasn't sure he was able to climb to spire, yet here they are. Fox was holding onto the skinny steeple with one arm and balancing Krystal with the other. He held onto her foot and was doing his best to keep her balanced, but she kept shifting her weight trying to reach higher in the sky to charge her staff.

"How much longer?" Fox strained his voice.

"Nearly done," she stuck out her tongue to the side, stretching farther up. Fox could feel her moving and he tried to extend his arm up, but was starting to get sore.

"Krystal, my arms about to give out," he said. Krystal looked down to see how he was doing, and Fox started to lift his head towards her.

"Don't you dare look up!" A massive blush appeared on her face.

"Right, right. Sorry." Fox looked down at the roof of the temple, remembering that Krystal's tribal outfit was a bit revealing, at least she wears undergarments.

Krystal's staff began glowing a bright blue as the spear was completely charged with Solar's rays. Krystal brought her staff close and felt the gem embedded inside glowing hot. She touched it and shook her hand from the scalding hotness of the gem.

"Okay. I'm good," she called down to Fox.

"Ah, thank you," Fox said with relief.

He slowly began to bring Krystal down, still balancing her. She tried to turn her foot to get a better angle at the spire, but her ankle buckled at that and Fox's wrist twisted down. His body reacted to the pain and let go of Krystal's foot. Krystal didn't feel any support under her as he began to fall.

"Krystal!" Fox was quick to react. He reached out and wrapped his free arm around Krystal's torso. The force of Fox's arm caused her to lose her breath and drop her staff. She coughed as she saw the staff fall to the roof of the temple. The staff hit the roof and rattled until it came to a stop, the Cerinian metals holding strong. She sighed and followed the arm that was around her.

She looked back to Fox and could feel his arm start to shake from holding her, his face strained as he had to reach out from the spire to catch her.

"I'm going to swing you back. Get ready." Fox said through gritted teeth. All Krystal did was stare at him with an open mouth on how he saved her from a life-threatening fall. She felt Fox begin to swing his arm and she prepared herself to catch the spire.

"1…2…3!" Fox swung his arm to the opposite side and Krystal used her force to swing with Fox and fling herself around the spire. She grabbed it with both hands and held on firmly as the rest of her body followed around. Once she was situated on the spire, she looked at Fox who started to make his way down. She began to follow him, inching down the spire, careful not to hit Fox with her sandals.

"Thank you," she said, a small blush forming. "For catching me."

"It's not every day I catch a beautiful vixen from the sky." Fox said, internally wondering if it was appropriate to say. Fox reached a risen platform that the spire protruded from. Once he stepped down, he looked up at Krystal, who was shyly looking away. Fox couldn't help but give a small chuckle as he jumped from the platform and onto the roof.

Krystal made it to the platform and jumped down next to Fox. Krystal looked to him and he still had a grin on him. She shook her head and lightly bumped her hip with his as she went to retrieve her staff. From there, they knew where their positions were. Krystal was going to shine the light through the stained glass from a tree and Fox was going to stand on the platform positioning the piece to shine on the altar.

They separated here and Fox jumped down the opening on the dome. He fell on all fours and picked himself up to see Tricky waiting for him.

"Did you do it," Tricky asked.

"Yeah," Fox said as he picked himself up. "Just need to align everything and I think we'll get it."

Once Fox was standing, he sprinted to the altar area to not keep Krystal waiting. Tricky followed as best as he could but was being left behind by the speedy tod. Fox reached the altar and could see Krystal waving through the stained glass. Fox went to the altar and picked up the triangle piece and got on to the raised platform. He gave Krystal a thumbs up and she placed her staff over her shoulders and aimed it at the stained glass.

The staff began to glow brightly, and a ray of light began to shoot out of the spear's tip. Fox shielded his eyes as the beam shot through the glass, emitting a colorful pattern. Fox picked up the piece and aligned it with both the glass and the altar. He found the sweet spot and the altar began to glow brightly. He held it there until the entire altar was engulfed in a blinding white light. Fox removed the piece and signaled to Krystal that it was done. Krystal jumped from the tree onto the roof and began running towards the dome to jump back down.

Fox saw the altar begin to pulse and the ground beneath him began to shake. He caught himself before he could fall and noticed the altar began to move. Krystal was running towards the altar before she lost her balance due to the ground shaking. The sound of rocks rubbing against each other filled the area and all three of them covered their ears as it made a cringeworthy sound.

Fox looked at the altar revealing a passage that led down. The altar and ground stopped moving and Fox removed his hands from his ears. Krystal got up and finally made it back to the altar and saw it had moved from its original place.

"What is it with EarthWalkers and hidden rooms?" Fox asked as Krystal arrived.

"This is a Krazoa's doing," she explained.

Fox remembered the word Krazoa. He first heard it when talking to Auserij about it when he first arrived. How they were the keepers of life on Sauria.

"So, the Krazoa's built this place? I thought it was the EarthWalkers who did it." Fox was confused as to who was the original builder.

"My father said our ancestors had some planning in it," Tricky said. "They were instructed by the Krazoa's to build places of worship around Sauria. They are different from the shrines that the Krazoa's built themselves."

"Don't really see a difference from those two, but it is what it is." Fox said as he began to walk down the passage. Krystal and Tricky followed closely, with Krystal using what was left of Solar's rays as light. Fox took out his blaster and set it to stun if there were any threats in the dark passageway.

As they walked farther down, there was a purple-blue light that was growing as they approached it. The light expanded and then an outline of a figure formed around the light. Fox's eyes had to adjust to see what the figure behind the light was. When the light finally died out, he saw what the figure was and could only stand in awe at the creature that was laying on the ground. It wasn't a creature, it was a massive head, laying across the ground. Fox could hear faint breaths coming from it.

He saw how the forehead was shaped like a spread-out fan, coming together to form the cheeks and mouth, extending to form a long chin. He saw what looked like tentacles coming out from the back of its head, slowly flapping as they tried to stretch out. It looked like the creature was dying, barely holding on to its life as it noticed the three individuals next to it.

"Oh, my gods." Krystal's voice echoed.

"What is it?" Fox looked at her.

"A Krazoa."

Fox reverted his gaze back to the Krazoa. It attempted to move its head to face them, but was unsuccessful. Fox approached it carefully, putting his blaster in his holster. He raised his hands to show that he didn't mean harm.

"Are you a Krazoa," he asked as he stood above it. The head reacted to the name.

"My children," it said in a booming, yet dying voice. "Have you come seeking the power as the other before you?"

"Power?"

"Yes. As the other before you, he sought this power that my own kind banished me for." It let out a loud cough.

"Other. Are you talking about Andross?" Fox knelt next to the Krazoa.

"If that was his name, then yes. He asked and I revealed how." The Krazoa began to glow blue. Fox wasn't sure if this was a good or bad sign, so he needed to get to the point. Krystal and Tricky stood behind Fox as he pressed the Krazoa for answers.

"Why would you tell someone this process?"

The Krazoa let out a deep sigh, causing a gust of to kick up dust and dirt. Fox covered his mouth so he didn't breath any in.

"This power of mine is told only to those would be complete. This individual, your Andross, sounded desperate to learn."

That did sound right. If Andross felt he was going to die at any point during the Lylat Wars, he would do anything to make sure he had a back up for himself to use.

"How does it work? How do you resurrect someone? Are you involved?"

"In a way," The Krazoa answered. "The process was believed to be heinous, however."

"Who thought it heinous?" Fox was still trying to lead him for more answers.

"The other spirits," it answered after contemplating it. "My experiment proved drastic to them and the exiled me from the tribe. The other six eraised me out of existence. For my work required very specific requirements."

"And what would that be?" Fox really pushed for answers.

"Are you ready, my child?"

Fox nodded his head. Finally reaching what he was searching for. Krystal and Tricky both turned around as the Krazoa began speaking.

_"The three giving will make the two become the one. And the one shall be reborn. The one willing will be raised and its vessel will be pure. The two giving have the will to stop the living. The two can share one but the one cannot share the two. For the two can stop the one before the one can control the two."_

The Krazoa began to glow a bright blue. The glow began to pulsate as if it was a heartbeat. The Krazoa's head went limp as the slow breaths filled the walls. Fox picked himself up and turned to Krystal and Tricky.

"Three giving will make two become one? What do you suppose that means?"

"I'm not sure." Krystal was still trying to decipher the riddle herself. "This is so much to take in."

"You're telling me," Tricky's voice sounded frightened. "I'm not liking this place anymore. W-We should head back up."

Fox turned back to the Krazoa, who was still beating a steady blue. Its breaths echoed through the passage. Which started to get louder and heavier. The Krazoa began to shake as the blue light glowed brighter.

"I agree with Tricky," Fox said. The Krazoa began to emit a loud hum as the light shined brightly. "Go! Get out of here!" Fox yelled as all three turned and made a break for the exit.

The humming grew louder as the Krazoa's energy finally built up before releasing. A flash of blue electricity shot out of the Krazoa and traveled down the passageway. Tricky and Krystal were able to exit, but Fox, being behind them, was engulfed by the electricity as he emerged from the altar. Tricky and Krystal dove from the altar and turned back to see where Fox landed.

Fox was shot out and flew to the opposite wall, hitting it hard and fell on his back. His body shot out small bolts of electricity before it died down.

"Fox!" Krystal picked herself up and ran towards Fox. She saw that he was moving, his face contorting and was groaning at the pain he felt after being thrown into the wall. She tried to touch him, but got shocked in doing so.

Fox slowly opened his eyes to see Krystal over him, her face full of worry at the concern of Fox's health. Fox started to lift himself from the ground.

"Fox! Fox, are you okay?" Her voice sounded frantic.

"I think so," Fox said with a small slur.

Krystal tried to help him, but was still getting shocked. She noticed that he was glowing blue, the same blue as the Krazoa.

"Fox. You're glowing."

Fox propped himself with his elbows, giving off a lopsided grin at Krystal's comment.

"Why, thank you." He said, still holding his grin. Krystal sighed and rolled her eyes.

"No. You really are glowing." She pointed to his body. Fox looked down and saw what she meant. His whole body was glowing blue. Fox's face was scanning every inch as the color suddenly began to fade away, until Fox was back to his normal self.

"Whoa."

Krystal touched him again and saw that the electricity had worn off. She held out a hand and Fox took it and picked himself up. Fox couldn't feel his legs at the moment and almost collapsed onto Krystal. She held on tightly as Fox attempted to stand on his own. She was patient and released her grasp as she was certain Fox was able to hold up.

"Are you going to be okay," Krystal asked.

"Yeah. I'll be fine. Been through worse, so this is a walk in the park for me." He rubbed his back.

Fox then heard his wristcomm reboot and began to vibrate violently. Fox picked it up and saw that it was the Great Fox that was calling.

"Fox here."

"Fox! Where are you?" Peppy's voice came through.

He looked at Krystal and couldn't find any other way to sugarcoat it. He decided to tell him.

"I'm at the temple with Krystal. Why?"

"The temple? Then you must have seen that EMP blast that just happened."

Fox looked at his surroundings and saw nothing else was damaged. He put two fingers to his neck and felt his heartbeat began to slow down.

"Yeah, we saw it. Don't worry, we weren't hit by it." Fox lied to not upset Peppy more. Fox looked over to Krystal who had a glare over him. Fox muted his mic. "I'm fine."

He unmuted himself and looked back at his comm.

"Well, at least you're all right. In case you need a reminder, we were going to do some recon today."

"Yeah, I know. I just need to come after what we found last night."

"Last night? What do you mean?"

"Aw crap. Nothing. I'll see you at the Great Fox."

With that, Fox cut the transmission and looked at Krystal, who had her head in her hand. He looked down at Tricky and saw that he was still a bit shaken after running from an electric blast.

"I think we should leave." Fox said to break the silence.

Krystal removed her head and flared at Fox, but agreed. They saw the altar begin to move back to its original position. Fox found the piece laying on the ground and went to retrieve it and possibly to examine it more.

The three exited the temple and quietly made their on way back to Walled City. Tricky said that he was going back to the palace to calm himself with his father. Fox and Krystal understood and let the small dinosaur depart from them.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Krystal still sounded worried.

"Yes, I'm fine. I promise you." Fox placed both hands on her shoulders to calm her down. She moved one hand to his arm and held it gingerly. Fox felt her fingers flow across his fur, making it tingle a little.

"I need to go see the guys now for recon. I'm sure they're going to be asking questions about what just happened."

"Should I be there to clarify?"

Fox thought about it, but decided it best that he should handle it.

"I'll handle it. Don't worry, I'll explain everything. Okay?" He let go of her shoulders and she came close to him.

"Okay," she whispered. "I'll be in the library if you need me." She closed the gap and placed her head under his chin, rubbing against him. Fox wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

"I'll see you later, I guess." He told her. Krystal let out a small sigh.

"Yeah. See you later."

Fox removed his arms and Krystal moved off of him. She gave him a smile before she turned around and headed into the palace. Fox let out a long sigh and made his way to the Great Fox, hands in his pockets as Solar's rays grew higher and hotter with every passing minute.

* * *

A/N: How many of you googled what an ambo was? Be honest.

Good weekend for sports fans. Saw the NFL Draft and the Cowboys got some good picks. (Yes, I am one. Deal with it.) And The Last Dance about the Chicago Bulls is really, really good.

So after thinking my thought over, yes. I will take a small break. Why? Because we're entering finals for school and need to focus on that. Like I said when staring this, school first. Fic second. I won't ghost y'all and disappear for years and then come back. I'll make daily updates on my profile, so check that out. Other than that, I'll see y'all in two weeks.

Until then, Stabby out.


	17. Chapter XVII

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter XVII

"Hey, Wolf," Leon said outside of Wolf's office.

"Just a sec."

The vulpine was on his personal desktop that had just been recently set up by Leon. He wasn't a stranger to this sort of technology; it's just he's used to it being smaller and always in his pocket since he's moving around a lot. So being forced to sit down while downloading all of Star Wolf's information led him to just scroll back on his personal device.

"Alright, what is it?" Wolf asked as Leon entered his office. Leon went around his desk and showed him some interesting jobs on his tablet.

"I've started a ping towards different planets for some work and we've already got some responses back, mainly from Macbeth."

Wolf took Leon's tablet and scrolled through the job listings. He went to the search bar and set the filter to show the most amount of money to least and began to look for a worth one. Some were the same, escorts and smugglings of minerals and weapons to different planets. Something Star Wolf was used to before they were under Andross' payroll.

"Any other jobs that aren't on Macbeth?" Wolf kept scrolling through the jobs.

"They'll pour in, Wolf. Trust me. Once word gets around those parts that we're back up, they'll be begging, and paying, for us in no time."

"If we'll get the chance." Wolf gave back the tablet and started to type on his computer. "Corneria will be on our ass if they get word we're out."

"Yes, that is a problem."

It had been more than a week since Andrew Oikonny left Star Wolf of his own volition, with some sense literally beaten into him by both Pigma and Wolf. They haven't heard from him on his current location and most likely don't want to. Wolf announced to the other two to cut ties with Oikonny, so they could be clear from him if he was ever caught by Cornerian forces.

They haven't heard news on his capture or possible death from around the system, so they know he's still alive. Wolf knew of the only place where he could be hiding; he could tip off Corneria, or even Star Fox, about searching there, but didn't want to help the people they were supposed to be against.

"So, no on these jobs," Leon asked to break Wolf's concentration.

"If I say yes, Corneria will be following us wherever we go. If I say no, then we'll have to wait it out and we're already running low on resources." Wolf's realization of this fork in the road was causing some problems on how they would continue operations.

After Pigma spent another three days in the medical bay for no reason after their Sauria exploration, he went through about a month's worth of medical supplies just to treat a stab wound. He always complained that he was feeling nauseous and felt like he was going to faint any minute. Wolf always blew it off as Pigma being over dramatic, as he always was.

Wolf picked himself up and looked down at the computer that was showing a 58 percent completion of the downloads. He walked over to his window and stared out to the hundreds of rocks floating carelessly.

"It's Oikonny's fault that we're in this," Wolf started.

"Shall I start frying Pigma then?" Leon joked. Wolf made a face of disgust.

"I don't think I'm that lost from sanity to eat him. Yet."

Leon placed the tablet on Wolf's desk and made his way out of his office.

"I'll leave the jobs to you then. I'll try to ping other planets for information." With that, Leon left Wolf's office and left the vulpine in his thoughts.

Wolf's ears flicked at the sound of his computer being done with the downloads. He returned to his seat and began to browse through their catalogs and recent records. He saw the stamps of the ships that had recently been coming in and out of the station. He saw the only outgoing ship from hangar four was Andrew's from about nine days ago. Wolf didn't attempt to lock the hangar when he heard the announcement go off, he just let the ape do what he wanted because he was sure he would end up dead.

Wolf began typing and searched for recent reports on a dark web database. He first typed 'Corneria' to see what news would be circulating. Not much was going on in the bustling planet, so he reluctantly searched 'Star Fox'.

Many articles within the week came up showing how the team fended off attacks from pirates near the more dangerous planets of Titania and Macbeth. Wolf was feeling a little curious and decided to look up articles from two weeks ago, to see how Star Fox was moving recently.

When he backed the dates, there were indeed more articles on Star Fox and how they drove away Star Wolf from the mysterious planet called Sauria. He clicked on an article from the 'Corneria Chronicle' to see what they had to say on the matter.

It was all clear bias towards Star Fox in how they thwarted the ruthless mercenary group. Wolf found no interest to read any further, so he backed out and continued to scroll through the other articles about Star Fox.

Not much was said after their Sauria mission, except for the deployment of Cornerian soldiers on Sauria. Wolf made it a point to not visit that place until after Andrew was captured or killed. No other information was available on Star Fox that Wolf could gather. He scrolled through and saw the regular stock images of Star Fox that the news outlets always use.

He kept scrolling and saw a picture of Fox and that blue vixen from Sauria in what looked like the mall in downtown Corneria City. He continued scrolling and…

Wolf quickly scrolled back up and clicked the image to an online article. He was speechless as he saw the headline under the cover image.

_The Hero of Lylat has found his lover?_

He continued reading the article on how this mysterious vixen was first sighted with Fox at the CDF Tower and were later spotted at the park no more than thirty minutes later. He kept reading as the article was making up a story on its heels. That Fox was searching the for someone of exotic nature and happened this mysterious space vixen. The tabloid also made a false allegation on if they were more intimate with each other since Fox was surrounded by three men all the time.

Wolf didn't care if Fox was using her for his own pleasure, it was the fact that it was the same vixen that he encountered while on Sauira, therefore still painting them an enemy as she would have told Fox what had happened.

"That boy really is something." Wolf couldn't take his eyes off of the vixen. The tattoos or tribal marking that circled around her arm were only in comparison to the sun or star markings on both sides of her upper thighs. Wolf continued to study the vixen as his mind went blank and shut out any sort of outside noise.

So, when the computer suddenly turned red and began flashing, he shot back as he thought that something had blocked him from viewing his screen. Well, that was the case, but a loud alert came blaring through the loudspeakers as a message appeared on Wolf's computer.

**UNKNOWN AIRCRAFT ENTERING STATION AIRSPACE**

Wolf regained himself and looked at the message. The speakers then repeated the message as Wolf finally got up from his desk and ran out of his office. He looked to his left and didn't see Pigma or Leon running from that side.

"Wolf!"

Wolf's ears turned to the right as he heard Leon's voice emerge from the main docking bay. Wolf booked it towards the docking area. He entered the bay and looked around and saw Leon on the console trying to ping where the bogey was coming from but couldn't find it. Pigma was near the open cargo doors trying to spot the ship with the naked eye.

"Have you found it," Wolf asked as he entered.

"I think it's cloaked. I can't find it anywhere." Leon was looking through their region, but couldn't find where the origin of the ship was coming from. "We should be more concerned on how this ship found us."

Wolf stood next to Leon as the console was sweeping the entire region, but still showed nothing in the area. It wasn't until an anonymous message appeared on the console that made Wolf back up.

_PRESTIGIOUS STAR WOLF. I COME WITH AN OFFER TO HELP WITH YOUR ENDEAVORS. PLEASE LET ME DOCK SO I CAN DISCUSS MATTERS WITH YOU._

"Can you reply back," Wolf asked Leon.

Leon reopened the message and saw that it was a two-way communication link.

"Write back on how he found us."

Leon typed furiously Wolf's response and sent it to the ship in orbit. A few seconds after Leon's message was sent, a response from the ship came through.

_I HAVE MY WAYS. I HAVE BEEN MONITORING YOU SINCE THE BUILDING OF THIS STATION. YOU'RE LUCKY I DIDN'T RAT YOU OUT TO CORNERIA._

Wolf was about to tell Leon to send another response until the ship sent a third message.

_I SUGGEST YOU LET ME DOCK, OR I'LL HAVE CORNERIA ON YOUR DOORSTEPS IN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES._

Wolf was caught in a corner. If the ship did have knowledge of the station being built, it had to be working with someone close in Corneria, or it could all just be a bluff. Then again, there was no way that anyone could have the station's location themselves as they haven't revealed it with their associates.

"Let him dock," Wolf said.

"Sir, I would highly advise against…"

"Do it, Leon!" Wolf barred his teeth at the chameleon.

Leon didn't hesitate this time and began the docking sequence and sent a message to the ship that they were ready to receive. Pigma removed himself from the cargo door as the ship would make their entrance soon.

To Star Wolf's surprise, once the entire sequence was prepared, the ship uncloaked itself and was waiting patiently at the cargo door. Another message pinged on the console and Wolf read it.

_THANK YOU FOR COOPERATING. DO NOT BE ALARMED BY THE MAKE AND MODEL OF THE SHIP._

Wolf returned his gaze and recognized immediately what the message meant. Wolf went to his holster and was ready to get out his blaster at a moment's notice as the Cornerian carrier began to fly inside the station.

"I told you it was a bad idea." Leon started to take out his blaster.

"Can it!" Wolf gave Leon a hardy slap against his head. "We'll deal with them and find a way to trash the ship."

Wolf and Leon made their way down the console ramp to the bay's bottom floor. The watched carefully as the ship began to maneuver its way inside the bay. Pigma joined them and had his blaster at the ready. The ship's landing gears rested on the cool floor and the ship let out some pressure from underneath it.

The carrier began to shut down and all three members had fingers on the trigger, blaster pointed at the door in case they came out guns blazing. The carrier's doors unlocked and slowly began to lower. Wolf brought his blaster up and had the sights pointed directly at the approximate height of the average Corneria soldier. When the door finally opened, Wolf lowered his blaster slowly as he was confused at what he was seeing.

In a line, three Cornerian pilots walked out. Their arms were taped behind their backs and had tape over their mouths. They walked down the ramp and they stood in front of Star Wolf. All three pilots had their heads down. Wolf approached the middle one and he looked up for a brief second before looking back down.

"Now that's the type of cooperation I like."

Wolf heard a very low voice emerge from the carrier. He looked in between the soldier's shoulders and saw a large figure. The figure was covered head-to-toe in all black. Black boots, pants, jacket, gloves, and even a hoodie. His face had a black mask over his muzzle, only his eyes were showing.

"Okay. We're all here." The figure said with open arms, to show that he wasn't armed with anything, but Wolf did see a holster strapped on his left leg. The figure walked down the ramp and around the soldiers.

"Who are you?" Wolf demanded. "And how did you find us?"

"One question at a time, Mr. O'Donnell." The figure held out a finger to stop Wolf from asking anymore questions. "I am but a lonely traveler around these parts. I happen to come across this station through some intel I've gathered from inside the Corneria Defense Force."

Wolf looked behind the figure and saw the soldiers looking at one another with disapproving faces. He returned his gaze back to the figure.

"It still doesn't answer who you are." Wolf lowered his blaster, but didn't put it in his holster.

"I'm just a traveler who just happened to hear about your recent troubles. During my trip over here, I just so happened to stumble across these lovely young cadets." The figure wrapped an arm around the middle one and gave him a pat on the chest with the other.

"So, why did you tie them up," Wolf asked, now wanting to see where this was going.

"I didn't want them to get in my way of finding you. You know Cornerians, all about that protecting the system and shit." He removed his arm from the soldier and motioned for all of them to lower themselves. They all listened and began to slowly sit on the ground.

The figure also followed them and sat down in front of the middle soldier, legs crossed and arms propping him up. Wolf looked at the current situation and was flat out confused at the chain of events to this point.

"What are you doing?" Wolf starched his head.

"Like I said, I want to talk about your recent struggles," he said with outstretched arms. "Seems that ol' Star Fox got the best of you and now you're branded for threats towards that little Sauria planet." He picked his legs up and placed his arms to rest on them.

"What are you trying to get at here," Wolf asked.

"I just want to strike a deal with you. I'll help you with your endeavors on Sauria, and I'll help clear your name within the CDF."

"You'll clear our names." Wolf did not sound interested in the slightest.

"Like I said, I have connections, and I'll make sure your names will be cleared when we finish this job."

"There is no we here. And frankly, I don't know what you're talking about. So, I suggest you get back and don't come back here again."

"I'm talking about Andross, duh." The figure leaned back and propped himself with his arms again. "I know you were there because of it, my sources wouldn't lie to me."

Wolf saw the soldiers behind the hooded figure eyes begin to widen as they looked at each other, all having terrified glaze cross over them.

"Don't worry about them." The hooded flicked a thumb behind him. "They're just here as a bargain."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." The figure began to stand up and the other soldiers were following him. The hooded put his hand up to have them stay sitting down, and they followed. "Just a small bargain."

"What use would I have for them," Wolf asked, pointing a finger at them.

"Well, it seems you're down a member. Aren't there usually four of you?"

Wolf knew who he was talking about. He didn't want to get into the specifics of how Andrew was the main cause of Star Wolf's current situation. Wolf just opted to speak bluntly about it.

"He left on his own. There really wasn't any place for him here. Especially after a personal scuffle."

The hooded began to dart his eyes back and forth from the three members, trying to make a guess as to who was the one who drove him out. He abandoned that search and turned back to Wolf.

"So where did the little rascal run off to?"

"We don't know, and we don't care to know. Now if this is all you have to say, I suggest you leave and don't come back."

The hooded looked at the two members, who were backing up their leader in not having unwelcomed guests. Unknown to them, the hooded was smiling underneath his mask. He gave Star Wolf a shrug as he felt that he received enough information from them.

"Alright, I tried to bargain with you. Just know, what happens next is on you." The hooded's voice sounded threatening. "Okay, I'll take my leave now with these guys."

Wolf gave the hooded a death glare with his one eye and huffed before turning around and having the other members of Star Wolf come with him to stay clear from the carrier. They didn't walk more than a few steps before they hear a blaster go off. All three turned around and saw that he shot one of the soldiers in the head, watching him fall forward.

The other two soldiers began to yell, but they were muffled. They tried to get up from sitting down, but it's hard to when your hands are taped together. The hooded went to the middle one and didn't hesitate to fire.

"What are you doing?" Wolf yelled out.

"Aw. When did you become a sympathizer for Cornerian lives?" The hooded went behind the last one and held the blaster behind his head. The soldier looked up at Wolf, having a plead in his eyes as he had small tears forming on the side. His chest rising and falling rapidly.

Wolf didn't like the Cornerian forces and those who served it, but when it came to a defenseless soldier, especially in situations like this, there was that one shade that was always blocked that showed itself.

"So, what'll it be?" The taunting voice now prominent. "Will you let me help you with problem, or will you just let more fall victim to your ignorance?"

"OUR ignorance?!" Wolf went for his holster, but the hooded pressed his blaster more into the soldier's head.

"We're not the one killing soldiers for the hell of it," Leon interjected. "What makes you the one the judge that?"

"Trust me lizard, when you've been in my line of work, you'll see them drop one by one and wait for the next fresh batch." After he ended the sentence, he pulled the trigger on the last solider. The blast echoed in the now silent bay as the three Star Wolf members saw the final soldier fall forward.

Wolf and Leon immediately went for their holsters, but the hooded was quick for them and showed them a clicker he was holding. It had a white cap and was holding his thumb over the cap.

"Don't even think about it or I'll have Corneria on your ass in a matter of minutes." The hooded's thumb was twitching with anticipation, just taunting them to try and shoot him.

"I don't buy it," Wolf gritted, holding his blaster tightly.

"It'll be your funeral." The hooded flipped the cap and revealed a button that was blinking red. His thumb was barley hovering and threatening to push the blinking button. The hooded started to back slowly and looked back to see where the ramp to the carrier started. He went up it, still showing the clicker to Star Wolf.

"You just threw away the biggest opportunity of your life," the hooded said.

"I've heard that to many times in my life to know that it doesn't mean shit.," Wolf quickly responded.

The hooded grinned under his covered face. "I know you don't trust the likes of anyone, Mr. O'Donnell, and that's something I like. But you should have rolled the dice here. You'll see what I mean soon."

The hooded reached the console on the and pressed the close button. The door began to rise and the hooded held the clicker until the door closed all the way. Once it locked, the engines started, and the carrier lifted from the station's floor.

The station's console received another message before the carrier exited the station's bay and out into space. Wolf went to the console to see the message and read it in disgust.

_I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND CLEANING UP AFTER ME._

"Wolf," Leon called out. "What are we going to do with them?" He pointed at the dead soldiers.

"There's only one place. You and Pigma deal with it." Wolf said and left them to dispose of the deceased. Leon and Pigma saw Wolf walk out the bay and Leon turned to Pigma.

"You can handle two, right?"

"Why? Because I'm big?"

"You said that, not me."

"You've been thinking it since Oikonny pointed it out. I'm going to strangle that fucker's throat." He stuck his hands out in simulation of what he would do in front of Leon.

"I know you'd snap his neck just by grabbing it. Let's get this over with now." Leon went for one and Pigma got another, they'd come back to get the last one.

Wolf arrived in his office and looked out his window, watching the asteroids bounce off each other. He slumped down in his chair and saw the article of Fox and the blue vixen that he left open on his computer. He let out a long sigh and exited the article and leaned back into his chair.

He began to think about the hooded figure's threat and how adamant he was about knowing people within he Cornerian armed forces. It could all just be bluff that he was doing, but just like before, there was no way that any one of their contracts knew about the station's location. He was the first outsider to enter the station.

Wolf thought long. Should he warn Star Fox about what just happened? There would be no way they would believe him. They would think he'd be shifting blame. Saying that he killed Cornerian soldiers would prove nothing as they would blame them for their deaths. If the hooded did have connections, he would use it to his advantage against Star Wolf.

There was no way Wolf could see a way out of this mess, and it was all thanks to Andrew Oikonny. Wolf just hoped, again, that Oikonny would show up dead within the week or next.

* * *

A/N: I'm back bitches!

Semester is over and I'm ready for the second half of my story to finish. Thanks for understanding.

Also, if you have glasses, you might want to remove them for next chapter. Things get... steamy. :3

R&R are welcomed.

Until then, Stabby out.


	18. Chapter XVIII

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter XVIII

The past four days had become sort of a routine for everyone in the Cornerian camp, as well as the surrounding villagers. Getting up for the rise and shine before receiving intel and commands from the higher ups. Then came watching the planet and keeping the locals at peace and telling them that everything will be fine, all the while ships exit and enter the planet for orbital watch.

No movement approaching the planet was evident, and the soldiers planet-side had to resort to some kind of way to pass the time. Overall, it seemed very slow for those who didn't venture out and scout the planet. That job was left to a much more prominent group of mercenaries.

Star Fox headed every reconnaissance mission, which was not liked by a small handful of soldiers, but Bill would keep them in place. Bill was put in charge by Fetcher to watch and maintain the base, while still keeping in contact with the CDF about their recent expeditions.

As Solar was now above Sauria, with higher than normal temperatures, the heat would bear down on all the poor ones who had pelts thicker than the rest during the summertime. Many of the soldiers had their shirts off to not overheat themselves. It did work to cool them down, but most of them were trying to get the attention of a specific vixen in the camp. And it didn't help that the tod she was tailing also had his shirt off.

Fox, Krystal, and Bill, who had his sleeves cut off, were standing at the border of the camp, near the Great Fox. Bill had a holographic map of the region that was produced by his Husky team. He was showing terrains of the area as vantage points for possible enemy attacks.

"We haven't gotten to the volcano region yet. I'm not sure if it has an official name." Bill was explaining.

"That's actually Force Point, and given that it is near Moon Mountain Pass, the SharpClaws will be heavily present there," Krystal said.

"Are they as bad as you say they are," Fox looked at her.

"Some are and some aren't. If that makes sense. But most of them are… immature to say the least."

Fox wondered what that tribe was about. In fact, he wanted to know what all the tribes were on Sauria. Krystal was name dropping them one after the other that Fox had to stop her so he wouldn't get confused.

"All these different tribes here, I really thought it was just the EarthWalkers who ruled this planet." Fox rubbed his temple from the headache of remembering their names.

"Do you need a refresher?" Krystal teased.

"Oh, god no." Fox shook his head and Bill let out a small chuckle.

"Anyways," Bill continued, "there hasn't been that much activity from that area. Anything else we need to know about them, Krystal."

"If it comes down to it, they're somewhat brutal. They'll come at you with numbers. It would be best not to run in there by yourself."

"Noted." Bill typed on his hologram that specific note. He turned it off and looked at Fox. "I've got some more inspections to do and this damn heat is killing me."

"Alright. I'll be in the Fox if you need me. And don't die on me." Fox uncrossed his arms and gave Bill a broshake.

"I need to make like a dog and get some water. See ya." Bill began walking into the camp. Fox then shouted back at him after processing his sentence.

"You are a dog!"

As Bill entered the tent, he extended his arm out and proceeded to flip Fox off. Fox laughed it off and turned to Krystal.

"What?" Fox saw that she was studying him intensely.

"You're very close with him." She finally said.

"Well, he's a good friend, so yeah, we are kinda close."

"I thought you said you didn't have that many friends." Krystal tilted her head.

Fox's mouth turned into an O as he didn't know how to respond to Krystal's comment. He then brought up his finger and pointed at her.

"Okay, first. That hurt. And second, I've… broadened my reach quite a bit. Just because I didn't have that many friends in the academy doesn't mean I don't have any now."

Krystal placed her staff in the ground and turned to Fox with engaging eyes. "Is that so?"

"Yeah. Bill's like a watered-down Falco, except he got rid of that big mouth years ago. Falco can… still go on about something for a long time." Fox looked to the Great Fox. The rest of his team was inside, doing regular maintenance or chores around the ship. He could see inside Peppy was flagging him to help. Fox waved back.

"I gotta help them. We'll talk later, okay?" Fox saw her eyes go down and it looked like she was thinking about something. But, not wanting to keep Peppy waiting, he said his goodbye before feeling himself being held back. He turned back to see Krystal's hand around his wrist.

"Are… you free tonight?" She had a tight, yet comforting grip on him.

"I-I think so. W-Why?"

Krystal let go of her grip and grabbed her staff. "It's my week to watch the temple, and some company would be nice. You know, to pass the time."

Fox could see the slightest shades of red forming across her face. He couldn't see it, but he felt himself becoming red as well. He knew he didn't have anything planned, plus, the guys would probably be around the Great Fox with some clue to pass their time, so they wouldn't miss him if he were to go out.

"Sure. I'll join you."

Krystal's eyes widened. She thought he would turn her down, though she prepared herself for that, but this was complete 180. Now, she had to prepare herself for spending the entire evening with Fox, but she knew what her first priority was.

"O-Okay. Great. I can't wait," she replied. Her heart was beating a little fast for her own sake, but she calmed herself. It wasn't long before she was staring at him. And he was doing the same.

They didn't know how long they were standing, but Fox finally snapped himself out and gave off a shy smile. Krystal saw his change of expression and sheepishly looked down.

"I should probably, you know," Fox said, pointing to the Great Fox.

"Oh, yes. I understand." Krystal looked back up.

Fox began to turn around and head back into the Great Fox, until Krystal called out to him.

"Oh, Fox!"

"Yeah?" He turned around.

"Meet me in front of the gate. After sunset." She almost forgot to tell him what time to meet up. Not that she would leave without him.

"Oh, yeah. Gotcha." He chuckled and gave her a thumbs up.

Fox slowly put down his hand and Krystal began walking back to the palace, she avoided the camp and the catcalling of the soldiers inside. Fox could see that Krystal wasn't going to be bothered by it. She kept walking along, ignoring their calls. She had her telepath abilities to drown them out.

Fox thought his eyes were playing a game with him because he could see the faintest sway in her walk. Being a man, of course his instincts are going to make his eyes go down further. He started at her hair. The blue strands bouncing and moving side-to-side as she walked. He looked down at her back, seeing how her physique was mirrored by her curves.

His eyes finally rested at her hips. The way they swayed when she walked made him mesmerized by them. Her loincloth also helped in showing on how the top of it hugged her perfectly. He was hoping that maybe in one of those old cartoons he watched, a small gust of wind sent by a divine being could help him in-

_WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT?_

Fox's heart felt like it was going to explode at that, he fell to a knee. He quickly looked up and saw a couple of soldiers looking at him with a confused face. Maybe they thought he was having a heart attack, which he was actually having after watching Krystal's beauty walk away. Fox picked himself up and turned back to head into the Great Fox.

"Don't scare me like that," he whispered to himself. "I thought you were her."

_What if I am? And I'm just using your inner voice to mask myself._

"Can I just go through a day without you butting in? So what if I take a little peek? I'm sure she knows she has an amazing body."

_Yeah. When are you ever going to get the guts to say that?_

"One day."

_One day, my ass. Aren't you forgetting something else you should tell her?_

Fox almost forgot about that. Now that they're going to be alone, maybe he could find someway to tell her. But how to make an excuse to not tell her when they met. Not the right time, didn't know her that much, how hard it is to explain your planet blowing to bits. He couldn't think about that now, he needed to focus on the Arwings at the moment.

He went up the ramp and saw Peppy waiting for him, arms behind his back and chest out. Fox didn't see Falco or Slippy in the hanger. He heard a tapping sound echoing inside the hanger. He looked around for the source, only for it to be coming from Peppy's boot.

"Sorry for the wait, Pep," Fox said to relieve some tension from Peppy.

Peppy unhooked his arms from his back and motioned for Fox to come in. The cargo door began lifting as it didn't feel any weight on it. The door shut and Fox and Peppy walked up the stairs to the second story in the hanger.

"Did Ms. Krystal tell you anything we need to worry about the other tribes?"

"Uh, the most prominent ones she talked about the most were the ThornTail, CloudRunners, and SharpClaws." Fox rested his arm on the console.

"What about them," Peppy asked, trying to get as much information.

"ThornTails are on good terms with Auserij. They have a small village called ThornTail Hollow that's about a day walk from here. The CloudRunners are complicated."

"How so?"

"Well, in summary, they also have majority rule of Sauria and their agendas differ from the EarthWalkers. Intel from their guards say that they were not too happy to find us on planet-side. Plus, they aren't on the good side of the EarthWalkers at the moment."

Peppy brought his arm under his chin and thought about co-existing tribes fighting over the right of who should stay on the planet. If Corneria were to find out, they would go nonstop on negotiations before things got bad, but that was always the last resort.

"And these SharpClaws?"

"They haven't been around the area since we arrived. But it won't stop them from sneaking around. Bill is aware of them and will have alerts ready for any attacks by them."

"Anything else," Peppy asked with a raised brow.

"That's… all." Fox said slowly. "Don't give me that look, Pep."

Peppy's arms crossed and Fox knew he was in for a lecture. He tried to get by these many times before, but Peppy would always put him in a metaphoric chokehold and force him to listen. The last time he did this was after his breakup with Fara, which felt like a lifetime ago.

"Peppy, please, not this again." Fox pleaded with the hare.

"Have a seat, Fox."

Fox looked around the platform and didn't see a chair for miles.

"Pep, there's no-"

"Have a seat, Fox." Peppy said with more sternness.

Fox was cornered by Peppy. Just to get this out of the way, he lowered himself on the floor, his back leaning against the railing. Fox looked up to Peppy, who started to lower himself as well. Peppy sat across from Fox with his legs crossed and arms resting on his knees. Peppy gave Fox a look over.

"I keep forgetting how much you look like James, sans the glasses." Peppy broke the silence.

Fox let out a small huff of humor. How his dad always wore sunglasses, even indoors, was a mystery that even Fox couldn't figure out. But when it was just the two of them, he'd take them off to talk to his son.

"Pep. I."

"I know. I'm here to help you. But I can't do that if you don't talk." Peppy went quiet. Knowing that it was Fox's turn to speak. He took in a shaky breath, his eyes not looking at Peppy as his leg shook.

"Let me ask you something. What do you think of her?"

"That's a loaded question, Pep." Fox looked up.

"You've been around her since we got back Fox." Peppy eyed him. "I know you're trying to get close to her. It's actually scary how it reminds me of James and… Vixy."

Fox's ears perked up. The mention of his mother always brought out his soft side. He hardly remembered anything about her, so at the mention of her name by Peppy or someone who was close to her, he would always be listening to learn more about her.

"H-How s-so?" Fox couldn't speak because of his dry mouth.

"You know they were in different fields. When your mother was assigned to write a piece on him, she couldn't stop following James around, because it was her job to document everything we did. He actually got annoyed with her following. I told him to stop being so cold and let her work." Peppy paused and used this to catch his breath.

"When he came around to letting her work, he started to talk to her more. Not about his job, but about common stuff. Her favorite places to eat, what movies she preferred, off the record sort of talk. It was slow, but over the weeks, he was starting to push more. Of course, she had to remain in her professional shoes, maybe even scandalous if her publisher found out."

Fox only touched briefly on how his mother and father met, but if anyone had any intimate details, it was Peppy.

"Is that where I'm at?" Fox sat up.

"It's scary how you two have clicked in a way. You two are similar with a fighting spirit and on par with a caring and generous heart."

Fox gave Peppy a confused look and Peppy laughed it off.

"Yes, she's told me about her warrior upbringing. While you guys were off doing some scouting, she's come to me as well. She only talked briefly about where she's from, however I think I have a hunch."

Peppy scooted closer to Fox. "You haven't told her about Cerinia yet, have you?"

Fox looked down. It's amazing how Peppy figured it out with the little information that Krystal gave him. He may be old, but the hare can do quick thinking in a matter of seconds.

"Fox, look at me."

Fox blinked once and picked his head up, ears pinned back. Peppy had a strong and sympathetic gaze across his eyes.

"I know that look. Don't forget I have a daughter. The same look Lucy has when she's with her boyfriend is the same one that Krystal has when she looks at you. It's the same ones that you mother gave your father."

Peppy closed his eyes and gave a chuckle after remembering a funny memory. Fox looked at Peppy. "What's so funny, Pep?"

"I'm just remembering when James finally got the courage to ask your mother on a date. It was a train wreck." Peppy started to laugh a little harder. "I was his wingman, but this was him asking, not me. He kept turning to me for help, but I just stood there. He looked like a man out of a fever dream, and your mother was enjoying every second."

Fox laughed also. He always remembered his father as being composed for any situation he was in. Whether it was in space or at home, James was quick thinking and always had a solution to any task. The thought of him tripping over himself when asking his mother on a date was not something he'd picture him doing.

"I keep saying how you and him are the same in everything. Everything." Peppy gave a nod to Fox.

Fox looked away and had a small blush forming on him. He gave out a long sigh and turned back to Peppy.

"I don't know if I can say that word yet." Fox explained.

Peppy knew what word he was talking about. "I know. You're still learning more about her. Go at your pace. If she understands, I'm sure she'll keep up with you. Trust me."

Peppy began to stand up, using those old man grunts to signify that he is getting up there. He extended a hand to Fox. He took it and picked himself up. Not wanting all his weight to be picked up by Peppy, he grabbed the railing with his other arm and used that to level himself.

Once Fox was standing, he gave Peppy a tight hug. "Thanks, Peppy."

Peppy gave Fox a pat on his back. "I'm always here for advice. Now, please don't kill me."

Fox chuckled and released the tight hug. However, he wished he kept holding him as the Great Fox suddenly rocked. Fox kept his balance, but Peppy fell back on the ground.

"You alright?" Fox knelt to pick Peppy up.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Peppy rubbed his behind.

Fox looked down at his wristcomm and pushed a few buttons to radio the other teammates.

"Slip. Falco. Was that one of you?" Fox waited for one of them to respond.

Finally, Falco's voice came through sounding very annoyed.

"Yeah, it was Slip. I told you not to set it off now!"

"I didn't know it was going to go off!" Slippy yelled back, sounding faint.

"You made it! You're supposed to know that kind of stuff!"

Fox intervened before Falco and Slippy got into another argument. "Made what?"

"Slippy's vacuum invention. He finished it. We did a small test, but he set off the bomb early. The whole shops a mess!"

Fox completely forgot about Slippy's "black hole" invention, as Fox calls it. "Pep and I are headed up."

"Don't waste your time." Falco yelled back.

"Why?" Fox asked, annoyed.

"It's gonna take ages to get that shit off the door."

"So you're trapped?" A small grin formed on Fox.

A small silence went through before Falco answered. "Yeah."

"I can make another one." Slippy said.

"Who knows how long that's going to take," Falco yelled at him. "Start moving the stuff from the door."

With that, Falco's line went dead. Fox looked at Peppy who jerked his head to the elevator. They both went in and pushed for 'Engineering'. The ride was short, but when they reached their destination, a flood of tools and boxes came crashing into the shaft.

Fox and Peppy dug their way out of the mess and saw Slippy and Falco removing as much of the debris as possible.

"You guys really did a number in here."

Fox saw the entire engineering room was totaled. Tables were flipped, boxes were hanging all over the place, including the ceiling.

"I said this was Slippy's fault." Falco said it like he had to remind who it was to be blamed.

"Now's not the time to point fingers. Let's just clean up as much as we can. _All _of us." Fox made a circular motion with his index finger.

And with that, Star Fox spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning up the mess inside the engineering room. Most of the tables weren't destroyed in the event, so they were easily flipped back up.

Peppy and Falco picked up most of the tools and it was up to Slippy to reorganize them, according to his liking. Slippy took his time to count the wrenches that were still missing when he was placing them in his tool cabinet.

It was going to be a hassle to get the boxes that were stuck in the ceiling. Fox couldn't see an alternative to climb up, so he grabbed a nearby torque wrench and threw it up to knock the boxes down. It took a couple of tries, but Fox was able to get one down. Now for the other five.

They were able to clean up most of the room, the walls were sent and they'd need to repaint to get rid of the marks, but it was similar to how the room looked before the bomb went off.

"There. Now please don't trash it again," Fox said as they finished cleaning. He got a whiff of himself and his nostril flared. "I'm gonna clean myself up."

"Wait!" Slippy yelled and Fox turned around. "Don't you want to see it work?"

"No, no," Falco butted. "You're going to destroy the whole shop again!"

"I will not!" Slippy yelled at Falco's face. That yell made Falco back a little. "I'll be extra careful this time."

"Well, I have to approve it since being the captain and all. Fine." Fox felt his fur getting sticky under his arms and on his back. "Make it quick, I really need a shower after all this."

Since the one he was using was destroyed, Slippy went to work on a new ball. It took a little more than ten minutes to create another one with the blueprints he had scattered on the floor. All the while, Fox, Falco, and Peppy waited somewhat patiently for Slippy to finish. Doing small talk along the way.

"We don't have anything tonight, right?" Fox asked.

"I believe we don't," Peppy answered.

"Ok," Fox nodded and went silent.

"Why? You going somewhere?" Falco was leaning against the window of the zero-gravity chamber with crossed arms.

Fox looked at Falco and decided to be honest with his crew. No use in lying if they wanted the trust with each other high.

"Krystal asked if I could help her watch the temple tonight. I agreed, seeing that we didn't have anything going on."

Falco huffed and got off the window. Falco really didn't see himself being here as he's already seen Slippy's invention too up close and personal. He walked back to the elevator. Fox saw him go in and the doors closed. Fox let out a long sigh and decided to go and finally have this talk with his teammate.

"Wait, Fox. Aren't you going to-" Slippy started.

"It's fine, Slip," Fox interrupted. "I'm sure it works." Fox went to the elevator and waited for the cabin to arrive.

Fox took the small trip up to the quarters area. He walked down the corridor until he got to Falco's door. The door was unlocked, so Fox gave the metal door a few knocks before he let himself in.

The room was sparsely clean, with some shirts and pants scattered here and there. Falco's silhouette was laying on the bed. Fox's eyes adjusted to the darkness, as he didn't have the window drawn to let light in. Fox approached his bed and Falco didn't turn over when his captain was at his bedside.

"Falco, let's talk."

Falco still didn't turn.

"Go on. Just say you hate her and we can work something out." Fox got a chair from the desk inside the room and sat in it.

Falco shifted on his bed. "It's not that I hate her."

"Then what is it? If you're still trying to get back at me with your Katt situation, it's not working."

"You're part of the reason we split." Falco finally sat up.

Fox's face showed confusion. "What?"

Falco's face went down. "You know that we were rocky after her trip to Titania. I wanted to make up for what I did wrong. All the times I was ungrateful to have her around really helped me mull over everything."

Fox understood what he meant. He wasn't that kind to her because of his arrogant nature. Fox told Falco that if he wanted it to work, he needed to tone down his usual nature and try to fit Katt's needs. Ultimately, Falco would turn it around on Fox and bring up his recent breakup with Fara Phoenix.

What does he know about being in a relationship if he went and terminated it because of fear of her coping with his death. He knew the risks this job took, and he went in it blindly.

"Seeing you and blue girl together." Falco's face grimaced at saying her actual name. "It makes me think of what Katt and I once had."

Fox finally pieced the problem of Falco's anger on the two. He knew it was towards Fox having Krystal on board and going out that one time. Using the Katt rule to break him out was going to deepen the situation even more, but hearing on how it actually broke them apart was more shocking to hear.

"Falco. I'm sorry about your whole situation with Katt." Fox said in his sincere voice.

"The time we were at Pepper's office, she asked me to find a place to hook you up. I started to think she moved on from me. And was starting to go for you."

Fox remembered how Katt was going to take him out into Corneria City and try different hotspots for Fox's potential dates, it all that came to a halt when they left for Sauria. But hearing that he thought Katt was trying to hit on him was a complete turn around.

"What? N-no. Listen I respect Katt for what she does and who she is. But, I would never try to get with her." Fox sat up in the chair.

Falco saw the look in Fox's face. The tone in his words made him truly believe that he was telling the truth.

"And then she came on the ship while you were down here when we first arrived. I just added more fuel to that I guess. Punched the hole in the den. Sorry about that." Falco tried to hide a chuckle, but failed.

Fox couldn't help but chuckle himself. Then both of them had a small laugh about their current situation. Best friends talking about girls. A trait that Fox and Falco had when they were in the academy, whenever Falco was there.

"So," Fox started when their laughter was over. "What is your stance on me and… Krystal?"

Falco actually gave it a thought over. "Honestly, I'm jealous of what you got going with her. It makes me wish I had squared everything with Katt more smoothly."

Fox got up from the chair and Falco looked up. "If you'd want, I could ease Katt on board. But no fooling around like the other times, especially in my office."

Falco grinned at the last part. "Actually, I've been doing quite better without her on the ship, so it's best to keep it that way."

"So you're saying Katt was a distraction." Fox crossed his arms.

"That's not what I'm saying!"

"Is to."

"Is not!"

Fox laughed at the small banter between them, feeling that they somewhat got this whole mess between them resolved, with some rough patches to still get through. Falco started to laugh as well.

"Listen. I know you two are in a rocky place. I'm rooting that you can work things out with Katt."

"Thanks, cap."

Fox stuck out his hand towards Falco. He saw this and stood up. Rather than go for the usual handshake, he gave Fox a rather rare hug. It only lasted half a second, but it was enough for Fox to know that they were on the same page.

"By the way, if you wanna get some with her. You really need a shower." Falco pinched the holes on his beak shut.

"Oh, shut up." Fox gave him a playful punch on his arm and walked out of his room.

The door locked when Fox exited and he let out a long and exhausted sigh. He started to sniff himself again. He made the trip to his room and took a quiet twenty to thirty minutes in the shower. He felt the warm water flow through his fur, feeling it soothe himself as he scrubbed the sweat he accumulated from outside and cleaning the Great Fox.

Wiping down the steam from his mirror, he dried himself and combed out any out of place hairs. Once he was dry and smooth out, he got himself dressed in his usual attire, having four sets of the same suit comes in handy when you're in space. He fixed his boots and scarf on him and laid on his bed. Just a small power nap as he was sure he'd be up for the entire night.

* * *

The nap went by quick. He only wanted a quick thirty to forty minutes, but it turned into a two-hour sleep. Fox looked at his wristcomm for the time.

_17:39_

Knowing that Sauria's sunsets usually happen at 1900 to 2000 hours, he decided to get some work around the Great Fox. He left his room and went to the deck to have short meeting with ROB. The gold robot reported on the status of the Great Fox, saying everything was working, and also gave some updates of what was happening on Corneria. Not much, but Fox was happy to be updated.

Fox went to the engineering room to finally see Slippy's invention firsthand. Slippy prepared his second product after Fox had left, so he was ready when Fox said he wanted to see a test run. The thing about the first one was it worked in vacuuming everything in the chamber, but the release wasn't set. Slippy carefully tweaked some buttons, but set it off prematurely. Leading to the engineering room in the state when Fox and Peppy arrived.

Slippy was certain he had the timer set right and placed the ball inside with a couple of boxes and broken chairs. He explained to Fox how it made a pressure inside the ball compress everything, leading it to explode out when the time was right.

So Slippy let the timer go. Fox has seen it work, before they came to Sauria, but once it did the first part, the ball didn't release on its own. Instead, Slippy went inside the chamber to retrieve it and handed it carefully to Fox.

Fox cupped his hands and didn't feel any weight difference. Slippy took it back and set it down in the chamber. He pushed the middle button and the blue began flashing, indicating an imminent release. Slippy rushed out and closed the door. Fox took a spot at the window and saw the orb release all the boxes and chairs in a flash. Once again, he's seen it happen, but now that it was under control, Fox had no problem approving it.

With everything settling down for the rest of the day, Fox decided to wait on the deck for his time to leave. He arrived and sat in his captain's chair, he placed an arm on the rest and balled his fist under his chin. He could have been staring out the window for hours, but it was only twenty minutes. He watched Solar begin its descent on the horizon, indicating that sunset was beginning.

Fox got up and brushed himself. Seeing himself clean for the evening, he went to retrieve his jacket from his room and headed out of the Great Fox. The Cornerian camp was slow as the waning light diminished from the tree line. Most of the soldiers had their shirts on as a wind chill from the neighboring mountain's valley came rushing through.

Fox began his walk to the gate's entrance and was not surprised to see Krystal already there. He was surprised to see Auserij with her. They looked like they were having a lively conversation. They each took their turns, letting the other talk and having a small laugh.

Fox approached slowly, wanting to keep his distance and not interrupt them, but he saw Krystal's ear perk up. Fox knew that she could sense him from a mile away, so only a few yards made it feel like he was right next to her. She looked to her right and saw Fox standing away. She just gave off a smile and Fox held in a breath. Auserij also turned to see Fox.

"Fox," he said and gave him a bow.

Fox snapped out of his trance he was for sure Krystal had him under. He walked next to her and gave a small bow to the king. "Auserij."

"Krystal tells me your helping watch the temple with her. I can't thank you enough with your help in one of our sacred places."

"Oh, eh, it's nothing really." He rubbed his neck. "Just happy to be assisting." Fox let out a shy chuckle.

"Anyways, thank you. I suggest you two head up there. I'll be here in the morning on your report." Auserij gave them both a bow and turned back to head into the palace.

Fox saw the king walking back and turned his attention to the blue vixen next to him. The light from Solar pierced through the thick trees leading to the walls, leaving a shadow of leaves on Krystal. They were swaying slowly due to the wind coming from the valley. But Fox was more focused on how her eyes glistened from the orange rays.

"Y-You look nice," Fox said, a small red forming on his face.

"So do you." Krystal said and brought herself close to Fox's chest.

Fox felt he was in Krystal's "trance" and couldn't move if his life depended on it. She grabbed the collar of his jacket and traced the zipper line. She felt each jagged, metal teeth going down. She stopped when she felt the back of her hand brush against Fox's fingers. They both let out a small gasp when they felt that contact.

Fox slowly went for her hand. He wrapped his fingers around hers. They both stared at each other for a brief moment before Krystal spoke.

"We should probably head out."

Fox let out another shy chuckle. "I think we should."

Fox began to wrap his hand more around Krystal's. She noticed this, but didn't stop him. She embraced it. It was the first time they held hands since their "date" in Corneria City. They walked down the steps and out to the path leading to the temple.

The walk was peaceful for both foxes. The light from Solar was completely behind Sauria's horizon and the darker the sky went, the more stars that appeared. The twinkling balls of gas made their presence known by dancing in their bright and majestic ways. Fox and Krystal reached the temple, only then did they release their hands from each other.

"It's kinda weird, having an actual Krazoa underneath here," Krystal took her staff out of her holster and extended it.

"I suppose. But if it is true that it was banished because of its actions, it's a form a punishment, with a little bit of irony." Fox said. "Did you tell Auserij or Sosacao about… our friend?"

"No," she sighed. "Because if I did, then I'd have to tell them how we found the artifact. I know they don't mind me in the library, it's just us finding something that I'm sure they don't know about, or do know."

Fox nodded at her answer. If they didn't know, then it would take more explaining to do and they'd probably want to see the Krazoa for themselves. On the other hand, if they actually do know about their secret room, Fox and Krystal would surely be in trouble if they told them. It would be best to keep this a secret for now.

_Speaking of keeping secrets._

"Of all times," Fox whispered to himself. He knew his inner self would pop up during the night, he was hoping it would be later.

"What was that?" Krystal cocked her head to Fox.

"Oh nothing. Just thinking," Fox quickly said. Krystal took a long look at Fox.

Fox felt a little unease and slowly covered his forehead with his hand, as if it were a barrier for Krystal to not read his mind. Krystal sighed and shook her head. "I'm not reading you. I…"

She was about to say something, but it trailed away. Fox saw her eyes go down and he immediately removed his hand and approached Krystal. He thought that his recent action caused him to not trust her, which was completely not the case.

"I'm sorry, Krystal. That was insensitive of me." Fox tried to quickly apologize.

"It's alright. I can understand if you're still not comfortable with my gift." Krystal rubbed her arm, but she tried to pick her mood up.

"I didn't say that." He placed both his hands on her shoulders. "Look, I know it may be something that most people like me are uncommon with, but I am in no way scared of it… or you."

Krystal felt herself going red, so she looked down to not show her embarrassment. Fox had a small lopsided grin as another breeze came from the valley. It shook most of the surrounding trees and some leaves were blown off the branches due to the intensity. Fox saw the leaves falling and he noticed a couple had landed on Krystal's head.

Krystal felt the leaves fall on her. She lifted her head and felt Fox picking the leaves off her. She stayed still to let Fox remove the rest of the leaves. She noticed that his hand was shaking slightly, obviously nervous about removing them but he just couldn't leave them on her. She kept staring at him and how shy was around her compared to the usual composed self she's used to the seeing.

_He's just so… cute!_

Fox finished removing the leaves and backed away. Just seeing her under the starlight was enough to make his day. It looked like she had a blue glow around her, which Fox thought was a side effect of the "trances" he's put under. Fox's arms went to his sides and Krystal held her staff tightly.

"S-So, what do y-you do to pass the time," Fox asked, stuttering almost every word.

"Why don't we just talk for a little," Krystal suggested.

"I think that's a good idea." Fox chuckled nervously.

For what felt like hours, Fox and Krystal sat down and talked. They both talked about the simple stuff before it evolved into more personal topics. Fox talked on and on about Star Fox's journey across Lylat during the war. Seeing different planets and meeting the inhabitants brought many questions from the vixen. She'd interrupt him during his speech and politely apologize, but Fox would say not to worry as he would have a habit of talking forever when given the chance.

Krystal took her turn and started to talk about life on Cerinia. That brought another thought into Fox's head. Surely Krystal would understand him not telling her when meeting since it was something you don't usually bring up on a first name basis. So, Fox bided his time for Krystal to continue her part, and he too, would ask questions on how it differs from his society.

How everyone gets around, the type of activities they do everyday, and just how everyone gets through the day. Just anything to learn more about her planet. Of course, she was a little on edge when talking about Cerinia. She was still looking for answers, but she was feeling this weight she held had been lifted when talking to Fox about it.

Krystal brought her legs up and hugged them to herself. Fox saw this and started to slowly move next to her. She noticed this and moved herself closer to him. They stopped when their shoulders came into contact. Krystal leaned her head on his shoulder and Fox rested his head on hers.

"These last few days we've spent together have been nice, Fox. I've really enjoyed having you around me." Krystal said as she made herself more comfortable on his shoulder.

"I've… enjoyed this as well." Fox responded, he started to close his eyes.

"I'm not sure why, but I feel different when I'm around you."

"Is that a good or bad thing?" Fox jokingly asked.

"It is a good thing." Krystal laughed a little. She brought her left hand and brushed it through Fox's arm. Feeling his fur and how thick his pelt was compared to hers. Another breeze came by and made the vixen shiver.

Fox saw this and his mind told him to be a gentleman and let her use his jacket. Fox had to remove Krystal from her comfortable position to remove his arms from the jacket.

"Fox, I can't." Krystal knew what he was going to do.

"Krystal, please." He removed his jacket and handed it to Krystal. "I've got a thick pelt, so I'll be fine. You on the other hand, it's not best to be wearing something like that if it's this cold."

Krystal then formed a grin. "Would you prefer it if I take it off?"

"T-T-That's not what I-I meant!" Fox's face was now beet red.

Krystal began to laugh at Fox's state, her hands covering her mouth. "You should see yourself. Oh, my gods, you look so adorable!"

Fox's mouth was agape and his ears were burning. He looked away. "N-No I'm not."

Krystal's laughter faded out and she saw Fox shifting in place. She decided to not tease him and went for his jacket. Fox turned back and saw Krystal putting on his jacket. It was a little big for her, seeing it was made for his built, but she made it work. Krystal instantly felt warmer inside Fox's jacket. It was still warm from him wearing it and she could smell his scent on it.

"You look good in that," Fox commented.

"Do I?" A slight tease in her voice. "I guess I'll keep it."

"Those things aren't cheap, you know." Fox shook his head.

"Then I'll make sure to take good care of it." Krystal scooted closer to Fox.

Krystal had a small idea to let him know how thankful she was to him. She didn't hold back. She placed her hand on the cheek away from her and planted a small kiss on his other cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered.

She stroked the side of his face, watching Fox slowly fall into her hand. She had to suppress an awe on seeing how Fox melted at her touch. She felt Fox rubbing his cheek against her palm, feeling his cheek fur tickling made her giggle. Fox stopped rubbing in her palm and lightly held her wrist with his right hand.

Fox removed himself from her hand and looked at Krystal. He stared longingly into those beautiful blue gems she had as eyes. Krystal couldn't help but stare at his emerald eyes. She knew they held courage and bravery, but also showed compassion and hurt.

Fox slowly started to close the gap between them. Krystal saw this and leaned forward as well. They started to feel their breaths as they touched noses. They had been in this position twice, but they could never pull through. Not tonight.

Fox closed the gap between them and finally connected his lips with hers.

Krystal felt a spark had ignited in her mind. She closed her eyes as she began to move her lips with Fox's. Both of them began to breath heavily as their kiss became a little more intense. Krystal felt something move across her teeth. She realized what it was.

Krystal wasn't sure if she would like that, but she wouldn't know for sure if she didn't experiment first. She opened her mouth more and allowed Fox's tongue to enter. It was a quite foreign feeling for her, one that made the fur on the back of her neck stand up. But once Fox started to flick his tongue against hers, she let out an unfiltered moan.

Fox's ears perked as he heard her approval and continued his rush. Fox could feel her fight back, so he began to push her down against the steps to the temple. She didn't put up a fight and let Fox gently lay her down. It wasn't until the sound of rustling bushes that made him break the kiss instantly. He looked out to the trees and didn't see any movement in the distance.

Fox looked down at Krystal and she was barely opening her eyes. He had to hold back a chuckle as she looked quite dazed from this experience. The bushes rustled again and this time, both foxes looked to the trees, but didn't see any movement.

"W-We should probably…" Fox jerked his head to the trees.

"Yeah," Krystal responded with a high whisper, still breathing heavily.

Fox helped Krystal up and she took a moment to stand correctly.

"I'm fine." She said as she brushed herself and looked out to the trees to see if any figure was lurking about.

They both went down the steps and heard the rustle again. They looked at each other and Fox got his blaster ready and set it to stun. Krystal took her staff out and grasped it firmly.

"What's the plan?" Fox asked Krystal.

Krystal looked at the tree to see where they started. She made a hook jester to Fox while telepathically telling him where to go.

_Go around the back. You'll stop them if they try to run away. _

Fox gave a thumbs up and quietly crept around the trees, trying not to step on loose branches or leaves. Krystal remained where she was. If whatever was in there saw her alone and tired to strike, Fox could shoot it from behind.

Fox made his way around the trees and was standing in the knee-high grass. He thought he saw something slither across the ground, so he had his blaster at the ready. He looked at Krystal, who was surveying the area with a keen eye.

Fox could have sworn he heard a light whisper coming from the grass, but it wasn't long before he felt something violently hit him against his left side. The force was so strong, he was thrown against a tree, his blaster flew high before falling back down.

"Fox!" Krystal began to run to Fox. She didn't move more than two steps before two large figures came jumping out of the grass.

They landed in front of her and they began to swing their large tails at her. Krystal blocked them with ease, getting a more prominent look at the creatures she was fending, SharpClaws.

"Kxoho 0ei uho." One of them said in the native language.

"Argh, you disgusting freaks."

The two large lizards, both with spiked clubs, charged at Krystal. They swung their clubs at her, but she made efficient work on dodging them. She tried to strike when she had an opening, but taking on two SharpClaws was difficult, let alone one.

All she could do was block their attacks and hope that Fox would get back up to help her. She found a window and took it. When the first one brought his club down, she swatted it away and delivered a hard roundhouse to its face. The first SharpClaw stumbled to the side and the second one swung his club from the side.

Krystal quickly ducked under it and brought her staff up for a quick jab on the second one's arm. It let out a sharp hiss in pain. She made a run to Fox to help him get up, but the first one that she kicked went for her foot and held onto it. She tried to stab the arm but the second one kicked her staff away from her.

She blocked the punches that the second one was throwing and tried kicking the first one off. When Krystal began to punch back and dodging the hands of the first. However, the second got hold of her other foot and finally tripped her over to the ground. Krystal fell hard and the first SharpClaw jumped on top of her, pinning her arms down.

Krystal tried to wiggle her way out of both of their grasps, but they were holding on tightly. The SharpClaw on top of her brought her arms above her head held them tight, almost to the point where she thought her wrists were going to break. She cried out.

"0ei'cc mubo u whouk jculo veh ij." The SharpClaw said, his tongue creeped out of its mouth. Krystal's eyes widened and she tried to escape more, only causing the SharpClaw's grip to hold firm.

Fox began to pick himself up. He hit the tree hard, but not to the point it knocked him out. He grimaced as he began to get his vision back to normal. He shook his head and started to look around.

"Krystal?"

Fox surveyed and finally saw the situation she was in. A large lizard pinned her down and looked down at her. Fox couldn't see his blaster near him, but he did see Krystal's staff only a few feet in front of him. He couldn't think of an alternative and just acted.

Krystal could see the tongue of the SharpClaw looming above her. A long string of saliva dripped out and Krystal moved her head to avoid it landing on her. The SharpClaw began to breath in her scent, his eyes rolling at her smell. Krystal wanted to throw up after seeing that. Krystal closed her eyes as she saw the SharpClaw's face come uncomfortably close to hers.

_No, please no!_ She silently screamed to herself.

Just as she thought she'd be its next victim, the SharpClaw let out a loud and painful scream. She opened her eyes and saw Fox with her staff, impaling the SharpClaw in the side. The staff was at least a whole foot inside. Fox kicked off the SharpClaw and pulled the staff out, blood dripping from the spear.

The other one at her feet looked up and grabbed his club. Fox quickly kicked it from its grasp and began to whack it with the staff. The SharpClaw couldn't predict Fox's movements and was getting hit left and right. Fox really didn't have a pattern to his attacks, he just saw what they were about to do to her and just went off.

Fox ended his barrage by stabbing the second SharpClaw, twisting the staff as he pulled it out. The SharpClaw fell back and landed next to his injured partner. Fox immediately went to Krystal. She picked herself up with her arms, but Fox kneeled next to her and brought an arm around her back. She looked up and stared at the fox who saved her from becoming an unimaginable figure for the SharpClaws.

She clutched onto him and Fox held her gently. "I got you."

As he picked Krystal up, he heard one of the SharpClaws speak. "Boof 0eih xudtj evv xoh 0ei vackx0 evv-nehctoh."

"Ugh. Yeah, give me a moment." Fox reached across and accessed the translator he had off. "What are you?"

"They're SharpClaws." Krystal spoke.

Fox looked down at her and back to the SharpClaws. "God, they look hideous."

Both SharpClaws growled at Fox, but couldn't act as their injures were keeping them down. Krystal lightly pushed off Fox, telling him that she was okay to stand on her own. Fox let her go but stayed close in case they jumped again.

"You said we could take them," The first one hissed.

The second one was clutching his side, clearly not in the mood to talk.

Both looked at Krystal, her calm eyes were filled with anger. Fox though he'd never see something like that from Krystal, but here they were. "My staff, Fox."

"Krystal. Maybe we should…" Fox was thinking about probably letting them go.

"Fox!"

Fox looked at her and to the SharpClaws. She had her arm outstretched to Fox and he reluctantly gave Krystal her staff. She took it and aimed it at the SharpClaws. They saw this and began to drag themselves on the ground away from her. Krystal was walking with them, her staff began to glow a bright red. Fox didn't think that he would stop her, so he watched to see what would happen.

Krystal's staff glowed a bright red and she took aim at one SharpClaw. "Wait, no!"

**BLAM**

The fire shot went off and it felt like time had stopped for everyone. The SharpClaws opened their eyes and saw the shot was aimed between the two of them. A large black spot was visible in the ground and both looked up at Krystal.

"Leave. If your presence is to taint the temple, you are not welcomed here. If you come back, I will not miss." She brought her staff up and it glowed again.

Both of them had something that Fox recognized, fear. If these creatures were the big, heartless brutes that Krystal described them to be, then this is the first time they have seen or feared anything.

The less injured SharpClaw scampered up and grabbed his friend. They both limped out into the trees and the rustling faded into the forest. Krystal's staff dimmed and she dropped it and started to buckle. Fox saw her almost fall down, but quickly went to her side and caught her. Krystal held onto Fox as he lowered her gently.

Fox saw tears falling and she started taking in shallow breaths. Fox wrapped her in a tight hug and stroked her hair. He kept whispering to her that everything was fine and that she's okay. Krystal held onto Fox tighter as she felt the comfort in those words. Fox picked her up and carried her back to the entrance of the temple. He set her down gently, leaning her against a wall, and sat next to her, an arm wrapped around her back.

She started to calm down and rub her head against Fox's chest. Fox felt this and he instinctively puffed his chest out more. He retracted when he began to speak. "That was an admirable thing you did back there. Letting them go."

"I never intended to… kill them. Just a warning in case them come back." She looked up at him and she could see that something was bothering him. "Fox, what's wrong?"

Fox decided to tell her a small story about what he just witnessed from the SharpClaws. "When they were down, I could see it. The wide eyes, the pleads. I haven't seen that in a long time."

"What do you mean?" Krystal sat up.

"I've told you that my job requires me to… you know." Fox trailed off and Krystal nodded, knowing what he meant. "It doesn't bother me since I'm usually in my Arwing and they're all scum, but, there was this one time."

Krystal saw him ball his fists, they were shaking from him and she placed a hand on his arm to relax him. Fox felt her delicate fingers and he did relax more.

"It was a search and destroy on Fortuna. It was a dense forest, so I went boots on the ground to find a bomb threat. I searched for hours until I found the location. It would have been an easy mission and to disarm it. I found the bomb, and I saw who it was attached to." Krystal saw a tear forming.

Fox's voice started to crack. "He could've been no more than thirteen. I told him to stay calm, but his face said otherwise. He kept telling me 'I'm dead' over and over. I told him to stop saying that. He said that Andross' soldiers killed his parents and that they strapped a bomb to him and cause a terrorist type attack."

Fox began to cry himself and Krystal held him close, she had never seen him in a vulnerable state, so she held him tight. "He said he couldn't pull through with it and just waited for the bomb to detonate. I tried to get it off, but he kept pushing me away. He saw my blaster and he reached for it. I did my best to wrestle it away, but it went off and…"

Krystal rubbed Fox's ears, trying to help him calm down and cope with this experience. "Pepper covered it. Didn't think a story like that would be good for us or Corneria. I still blame myself for that kid's death. It makes me think if I am doing the right thing."

Krystal stroked Fox's ears gingerly. "You are. You did everything you could, Fox. It's just unfortunate that things don't turn out how we want them to." She took in a deep breath. "It's something I know as well."

Fox looked up at her with teary eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I've told you that my warrior status meant everything to me. It was my way of living. If I broke any statutes or codes of our tribe, it would lead to lifetime banishment from our city." Krystal took a small breath and told Fox her story.

"I was selected along with my best friend, Rivers, into out tribe's warrior clan. We both quickly rose in the ranks, but Rivers had a strong dislike towards our ruler. I told her that she had to keep to herself or else they would kick her out." Krystal moved her hands to Fox's back and placed her chin on his shoulder. Fox could hear whimpers coming from her.

"One day, another uprising happened. It was standard for us to hold them back, but Rivers wasn't there to help. I couldn't find her anywhere, but my duty came first. We were able to suppress fight back most of them, but one masked was not going down. They kept fighting us and I was able to subdue them." Krystal started to claw into Fox's back. Fox held in his small cries.

"I pulled off the mask and I didn't want to believe it." Krystal started to cry herself.

"It was Rivers?" Fox asked, but he was sure it was correct.

"Yes," she whimpered. "They pulled her away to the dungeons. They called us all in to determine her fate. Our ruler had his mind made up. She was… she was…" Krystal started to cry more. "To be executed. When the day came, they had us all there to witness what would happen if we betrayed them. Rivers kept screaming to me that I'm the reason she's dead. That she could have escaped if it weren't for me. How could she say such horrid thing? I couldn't watch."

Krystal started to cry into Fox's neck, his fur getting damp from her tears. Fox sat there and let Krystal be there for as long as she needed to. "We both know the weight of being held responsible for someone's death. That's why I care so much about my team. If they died, it would fall on me."

Krystal removed herself from Fox's neck. "They know you do the best to keep them safe. I know what you're doing is right."

Fox hugged her closer. "I'm sorry about your friend, Krystal. But you can't put yourself down for that. I know what you were doing was right, as well."

Krystal looked up at Fox and he looked down. They both leaned forward for another kiss. But this time, Krystal invaded Fox's mouth with her tongue. It surprised the tod enough that he was slowly being pushed down by the vixen. He could feel her beginning to mount him.

"Krystal, we really shouldn't." Fox whispered after breaking the kiss.

"Shh." She placed a finger on his lips, which shut him up quick. "Let us enjoy each other while we have the time."

She leaned forward and began kissing him again. Fox was doing his best to keep up with her, but somehow, she was overpowering him. Fox's hands were hovering, but he had an idea on where to place them. He slowly placed them on her hips, which caused Krystal to moan.

The placement of Fox's hand had sparked something inside Krystal, and she did something that made the tod's blood boil to max levels. She began to grind against him. Fox felt the movement of her hips from his hands. It was enough that he started to moan back. Fox felt his urges start to kick in and he couldn't stop himself if he tried, he began grinding back.

Both of their hips began to move at a steady pace. Fox's heart began beating fast that he heard the pumps in his ears and the blood began to pump to another area. He felt himself rise up, but he tried to hold it back, not wanting Krystal to see. It didn't matter because she felt him. She opened her eyes and broke the kiss. A string of saliva connected their tongues.

Both of them stopped grinding as Krystal looked down and could see something bulging in Fox's pants. She looked back at him and she could see his face fully red. He looked away in embarrassment.

"I-I'm sorr-"

"Shh." She silenced him again.

Krystal removed her hand from his lips and glided it down his chest, feeling his pecks. She continued going down and brought her other hand and started gliding down his abs. She could feel Fox's muscles through his shirt. Fox didn't want to be the only one experiencing this rush, so he slowly lowered his hands down to the sides of her rear, he traced the spiral tattoos she had there, causing Krystal to smile and moan.

She stopped when she reached his buckle. Cornerian clothes were always a mystery to her as they had layers and layers of garments on them, while her tribal outfit was all she needed to get through the day. So, it was going to be interesting getting it off. Fox's hands glided down a little more but stopped as if he was waiting for Krystal's approval. But Fox could see that Krystal laid her hand flat on his abs, above his waistline.

They looked in both of their eyes gave the other their approval and they didn't stop. Krystal moved her hand underneath Fox's pants while Fox took two greedy handfuls of her rear. They both moaned at the other's touch and came together for another kiss. Krystal could feel his member pulse with her touch.

Fox began to squeeze her rear as if he was kneading dough. Feeling Krystal grope him was an amazing feeling and something he never thought would happen.

**SNAP**

Both foxed broke from the kiss and removed their hands from the other. They looked around to find out where the noise came from. Both were panting, trying to get their breathing to normal, but were failing.

"They can't be back," Fox said in a quiet, shaky voice.

"W-We should check." Krystal responded, out of breath.

Krystal removed herself from Fox and helped him up. They both had a nervous laugh and red forming on both of them. They heard the snap again. Krystal was quick to pull her staff. Fox went for his holster but didn't feel his blaster. He remembered it being knocked out when thrown by the SharpClaw. Oh well, nothing but old-fashioned fists to bring down someone.

They both reached the trees and looked for any rustling in the grass. They saw it and Krystal gave Fox the same instructions. Fox went around the trees to the back and Krystal stayed in front. The rustling grew more intense as she approached. Finally, she removed the grass.

"You found me!"

Krystal let out a sigh. "Tricky! What are you doing here? You should be in bed by now."

The small EarthWalker emerged from the grass and shook off any excess weeds. "I was getting some water and I overheard my father saying you two were overlooking the temple. So, I snuck out and came over before Fox leaves tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Krystal looked at Fox.

"Has it already been a week?" Fox sighed.

"I saw you two on top of each other, it looked like you were sleeping."

Krystal's blue fur looked like it turned white. She looked at Fox, who shot back up after finding his blaster. Krystal let out a nervous laugh. "Yes. We were just tired and well, we just fell asleep."

"It's okay. I'm like that sometimes." Tricky walked past Krystal and to the steps of the temple.

Fox cut through the grass and they both watch Tricky walking up and go in a circle before laying down.

"It'd be too much of a hassle to go back and drop him off," Fox said.

"We should just watch him," Krystal responded.

"Yeah." Fox said in defeat.

Krystal noticed his tone and bumped shoulders with him. Fox looked back at her and both had a blush forming on them. Krystal took a hold of Fox's hand and they both walked up the temple's steps. They sat back down and Tricky perked up when they sat next to him.

"I haven't been able to see the stars until tonight." Tricky said, looking at the night sky.

"Why?" Fox asked.

"Well, all the lights in the base block out the sky, so we don't have a clear view." Tricky explained.

"Yeah, that makes sense."

Fox looked up as well. Seeing the many stars that were scattered like small light bulbs. Of course, he's seen them before and sometimes up close, but there was a different feeling from seeing them from a planet's surface.

"You know," Krystal started. "I've been doing this since I started watching the temple and well. No, it's silly."

"What is it?" Fox turned to her.

"No, really. It's okay." Krystal looked away, a smile forming.

"What is it?" Fox cooed, leaning against her.

Krystal looked back to see Fox close to her. She couldn't help but place a small peck on his lips. "I like to count the stars in the sky. I usually don't get past forty or count the same star three or four times. Some help would be nice."

Fox had a grin forming on him. "Well, where do we start?"

Krystal explained to Fox and Tricky where their areas were. They split the sky in three and started to count the stars in their area, but it was proving difficult as they kept crossing over to the either one's region. Fox would have the same habit of counting the same star over, he did six times for the same star and Krystal poked fun at him for it.

Tricky had a tough time counting past fifty, so Fox helped him out. In return, he lost track of his number and had to restart.

After about twenty minutes of counting, Tricky was the first to pass out. Once Krystal saw that Tricky was sound asleep, she rolled over and mounted Fox again.

"Hey there." Fox said.

"Hey." Krystal replied.

They laughed and shared another kiss. Both their tongues battled the other, trying to get the upper hand. Krystal broke it and laid on Fox. She got comfortable and Fox wrapped his arms around her.

"Warm?" Fox could see she was very relaxed and his jacket was doing its purpose.

"Very."

It wasn't long before Krystal also fell asleep, listening to Fox's heartbeat. Fox looked at her. Maybe when this was all done, they could try this out. As if their recent romp wasn't enough evidence. Fox felt his eyelids begin to fall and he fell into a deep slumber, making sure Krystal was safe in his arms.

* * *

Fox felt something wet lick his nose. He started to churn on the ground, but didn't open his eyes. He felt the wet lick again. He opened his eyes, only to see Krystal's blue gems piercing back at him.

"Good morning," she said.

"Morning."

They fell into a morning kiss. Fox wrap of Krystal became tighter and she giggled as she felt his strength. Fox broke the kiss and looked to his right and saw Tricky still sleeping. Fox brought up his wristcomm for the time.

_7:24_

The rays of Solar began to poke through the trees, giving Krystal another blue aura. Fox was about to lean forward and give her another kiss, until he heard Tricky wake up. Krystal quickly got off Fox and sat on her legs.

"Morning Fox. Krystal." He stretched and yawned.

"Good morning, Tricky. We should go back to let your father know we have you. I'm sure he's worried about you." Krystal leaned over and patted Tricky's head.

"I know. I'm fine. I was with both of you. So, I'm sure he'll understand." Tricky jumped down the steps and looked back at the two. "Well, let's go."

Fox saw Tricky walking away from the temple, and he saw Krystal's back to him. He had mischievous grin on him as he jolted forward and wrapped his arms around Krystal's waist. She let out a small yip and she leaned back into Fox, laughing for all it's worth.

Fox began planting small pecks on her shoulder and Krystal was giggling at this wonderful feeling. Only then, did her giggles turn into sharp inhales as Fox made his way up her shoulder and to her neck. He began to nibble on her neck and she started to rub against him, letting him know to continue by making small gasps of approval. Krystal brought her hand to the side of Fox's face.

"Are you two coming or not?" Tricky yelled out, but he didn't turn back.

They looked to Tricky, seeing him a good few distance. It would be their fault if they didn't escort Tricky back to Walled City. So, Fox lifted himself and Krystal off the ground. Krystal took Fox's hand and they both walked down the steps and began to follow Tricky back to Walled City.

* * *

A/N: Hold on, I have to clean my mirror from the steaminess emanating from my computer.

Over 12k words of this, the most I've written to this point, so you can imagine I took a three week break because of this.

Until then, Stabby out


	19. Chapter XIX

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter XIX

The thicker the smog got on Venom, the harder the visibility would become. Honestly, that's the case for every planet. But not all of them would have smog that would kill you on the spot. For Oikonny, he was having trouble breathing inside his mask. He had a small fear of close spaces, he only wears his mask for a collective time of three to five hours during the day.

Seeing that he was already exceeding that amount by another hour, he started to breath faster than his normal rate. The base was within reach, but the smog made it feel like it was miles away. Andrew got to the metal doors and opened them with all his might. The loud creaks made it clear to everyone inside that someone was entering, so being the paranoid bunch they are, they had blasters at the ready for any trespassers.

Andrew closed the doors and placed his back against them. He slid down and removed the mask from himself, breathing heavily. He had no idea how his uncle survived being here for almost ten years.

_This is for you, uncle._ He kept repeating those words over in his mind to get him through any situation.

However, after a week of being on Venom, he started to think if this was worth it. Not the thought of him resurrecting his uncle, that was made clear he would pull through with. It was the fact of him staying on Venom. He just wanted to return to Sauria and get the whole process over with. The only problem with that is he still didn't know how to do it.

He tried to finish the writings and deciphers from his uncle's works, but each time he was unable to finish it or gave up due to the difficulty of translating Dino. Not even his new advisors in Avery, Solomon, and Hutch could take a crack at it.

Andrew lifted himself from the doors and walked into the empty hall and into the large gathering area, but no one was there to greet him. He made very specific instructions to everyone in the base to get their own ship ready and accounted for. Seeing that there were about 200 remaining from Andross' army, there were only about 100 to 120 ships left.

So over the next week, everyone worked day and night to complete a ship as quickly as they could. Andrew was impressed that they built another twenty ships within that span, some were equipped with two-man system, so they wouldn't have to build any single cockpits. There were some tanks that weren't used, so he would have those dropped on Sauria during their raid.

They had to be frugal with the resources that they had, since Oikonny had to take some to help build the station in the Meteo belt. Many of survivors on Venom still had a grudge to Oikonny for what he was doing, but he kept saying that he was put against his will to come and retrieve supplies.

Andrew did tell the entire fleet what transpired after Star Wolf's trip to Sauria. But may have changed some details to make them sound like the bad guys, and that it wasn't him caused them to run into Star Fox when escaping.

He walked into the empty room and placed his mask on one of the tables. He recent expedition to get scavenged parts from destroyed ships across Venom was somewhat successful. He would find ships, but most of the parts they needed were corroded or missing. That didn't mean that most of the ships weren't salvageable.

After finding a squad of ships about a few miles from Andross' base, the salvage team went out to begin bringing back the ships to rip them apart. Andrew slumped in one of the chairs and placed his crossed arms on the table. He rubbed his temples before leaning back and staring at the ceiling.

"Yo, Oikonny!"

Andrew let out a short sigh and went to the voice of Avery down one of the hallways.

"Where are you?" He yelled back.

"Where the hell do you think? Outside Andross' room!" Avery sounded annoyed.

"Okay, shit man. I'll be there!" Andrew lifted himself off the table reluctantly and made his way to his uncle's room.

Andrew made his way down the main hallway and saw Avery leaning against the door to Andross' room. He was flipping through some documents and writing on a separate notebook. He looked up and saw Andrew coming and lifted himself from the door.

"This translation is getting me nowhere," Avery complained. "I've lost actual hours of sleep trying to decode this and still nothing!"

Andrew took a quick glance and saw the dark bags starting to form on Avery's face. It looked like he aged at least another ten to fifteen years.

"How much have you gotten?" Andrew asked as they entered the room.

"I got like ten."

"Ten what?" Andrew sounded curious. "A magic number? Ten steps for the process?"

"Nah, man. Like ten letters." A very slumped down in one of the chairs scattered in the room. "Even with the extra papers that Andross had, it's still hard for me and Solomon."

Avery took a look at the Andross' brain, which was being secured by a glass stand. There were many times where the brain would roll of the desk and try to make its way around the base. Andrew always worried that someone would drop something on the glass and it would break open, leaving Andross' brain exposed.

"How's he been doing?" Avery pointed to Andross' brain.

"Uncle Andross is doing just fine, aren't you?" Andrew went to the stand and started to pet the glass. Andross' brain scurried from where Andrew's hand was and tried to break out, like it normally does.

Avery saw Andrew petting the glass and his face said it all. His eyes and nose scrunched as if he got a whiff of something awful. He stood from the chair and grabbed the papers he scattered on the desk.

"Solomon and I are going to take another crack." He started to slowly back out of the room. "I'll let you know what we find."

Andrew didn't look and just gave Avery a thumbs up. The brain tried its best to get as far from Oikonny, but being encased in glass never helped. Avery finally made his way out of Andross' room.

"He's got real fucking issues," he whispered to himself.

Avery opened the folder to the different documents of Andross' research about Sauria. There were photos of the ancient text, which they found out was 'Dino'. The language was only half translated by Andross before his death, so that left the other half to be finished by whoever was willing enough to do such a task.

Andrew finished his current session of creepy affection and sat down in his uncle's chair. He went through about five different documents of old operations that Andross had planned after the takeover of Lylat.

Some of them included certain species to be injected with a genetic that would alter the way their bodies would age. Essentially, he would have long lasting subjects for his empire. The process was being tested on by some of his old soldiers before Fox killed him.

Andrew flipped to another document containing the mutation of a third body. During his first years on Venom, Andorss conducted many experiments on himself, which resulted in various outcomes to his appearance. His body slowly diminished as his second form gradually became a more prominent, large head.

The plans Andrew was reading were the process for his third body. A body that would stand more than five stories tall and be equipped with his own brand of bio-tech.

Although Venom did survive Fox's raid, the current whereabouts of his body were yet to be found by Oikonny or his posse. They've searched the entire planet and not a single trace of this experiment was to be found. Once they bring back Andross, only then would his third body be revealed.

Andrew put the papers back in the folder and stacked them to the side. He started to run his fingers up and down the papers sticking out of the folders. He began to swivel his chair and spin in it. To him, he thought that running an operation was sitting back and expecting results.

And so he waited.

He waited. Waited some more.

**BANG**

He heard loud bangs on the door that jolted him right up. He rushed and opened it to see Solomon and Hutch waiting for him.

"What happened? Did you crack it?" Andrew asked as soon as he saw them.

"No, not even close." Solomon answered.

"But there's someone here to see you." Hutch said.

"Well, okay then. Bring him in."

Solomon and Hutch looked at each other.

"The thing is," Solomon started, "we have him at gunpoint. And he's threatening to call Corneria on us."

"What!" Andrew pushed both away and ran to the common area.

When he arrived, there were about thirty of Andorss' men aiming at a lone, black clothed individual. He had his arms up, but his right hand was holding a clicker with a red, blinking button.

Hutch and Solomon came behind Andrew and Avery appeared from another hallway, grasping at the papers that were falling from his grasp.

"Ah, there's Star Wolf's little monkey." The hooded finally spoke in a taunting tone.

Andrew was taken back by that comment. "I am not with Star Wolf! Who are you and how did you find us?"

The hooded started to walk slowly to Andrew. Everyone who had a blaster out moved with him. They weren't going to let this random space walker get the best of them, no matter where he was from. The hooded was still showing his clicker. The steady blink of the red button revealed parts of his covered face and Andrew could see the yellow piercing eyes glaring back at him.

"Please Mr. Oikonny, I didn't mean to upset you with my downgrading words. I simply want to make an offer."

"A what?"

"Yes. Something to help you out of your recent struggles."

The hooded stood in front of Andrew. He stood about three inches taller, but Andrew felt intimidated by his height and backed a little so he wasn't looking up.

"Oh, I get what you are. You go to people's houses and just pester them to by your shit. Sorry, that ain't happening here."

The hooded brought down his clicker, but no one could see his expression under his mask, which was just a look of confusion. "You really think I'm a salesman?"

"If that's what you call yourselves, then yes. I ain't interested in what you got. So get out of here before we get ugly."

Andrew started to back away more and turn around to head back to Andross' room. The rest of his posse followed suit. The hooded rolled his eyes and let out a groan.

"I know about Sauria. That little dinosaur planet is on high alert due to your stunt. And I want to help you with that."

Andrew stopped in his tracks and turned back.

"I've been monitoring you and the planet since your departure from that station in Meteo. Do they know about that?" He pointed to his group. "Your cute little station that you built using materials from here. Yeah, that one."

The hooded grabbed a nearby chair and turned it around to sit in. He rested his arms on the top of the backrest.

"Made a little trip there recently. Your former friends say they didn't want anything to do with you. It was so sad to hear your fall." The hooded made fake sobbing noises. "Such a tragic story. And now, you're cowering in the place your uncle was banished to."

Andrew bared his rotting teeth. "I did not cower here! I made a choice to leave them!"

The hooded shrugged his shoulder. "Fair. Wolf didn't really tell me what exactly went down."

He began to stand up and shoved the chair back to the table. He started to twirl his clicker in his hand, being very carless on if he was hitting the button or not.

"Now, I must get to the real reason for being here." The hooded said approaching Andrew. Those who had a blaster were still aiming it at the alien figure.

"You should have started with that in the first place," Avery spoke up.

"Listen kid, this is between me and… the other kid." The hooded was in no mood to speak to anyone besides Oikonny. He placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let me give you my pitch. If you don't like it, then I'll be off and you won't see me again."

Andrew was looking hesitant at what the hooded had to offer. The others in his posse looked worried as it might hinder their plans. Back when Oikonny arrived, Avery, Solomon, and Hutch had their small gang together. Amid working with Andrew, they would easily overpower and get the credit for bringing back Andross. So, of course they would be against someone with an ulterior motive, especially if it directly involved Oikonny.

Avery grabbed Andrew by the arm. "Let's talk about this for a moment, Oikonny."

He pulled the ape away from the hooded's grasp and motioned for Solomon and Hutch to form their little circle.

"Okay, Oikonny," Avery started. "You know we're looking out for you and the interests of all of Andross' forces. I don't trust this dude." He said it blatantly.

"Yeah, for all we know, he probably has a plot to kill you." Hutch stated.

The three turned to him, with Avery and Solomon having a death glare to Hutch.

"What? I may be right." Hutch shrugged.

"Anyways," Avery slumped closer. "This guy could just be bluffing for his own sake."

"If it makes it any better, I'd like to show him something."

Everyone in the circle backed away as the hooded butted into their conversation. It seems he was really pushing to talk to Oikonny alone.

"It's part of my pitch, and trust me," he turned to Andrew, "you're going to love it." The hooded placed an arm around Andrew.

"I'm not sure it's in his best interest to listen to anything you say." Solomon said.

The hooded turned back to Andrew's posse and back to Andrew. "Do they own you or something? Because I'm seeing a pattern with these guys and Star Wolf."

"We're nothing like them!" Avery blurted out.

"Who are you to say that we're like them?" One could actually hear the hurt in Solomon's voice.

"Well Mr. Oikonny, what do you say? Just give me this one pitch and I'll be on my way." The hooded then gave Oikonny's shoulder a squeeze.

Andrew had himself a choice. If he were to truly see who this person was and what his real intentions were, then he'll make his decision. He never made a decision since Avery or Solomon would be the ones to guide him to their likings. It never crossed his mind that they were the ones silently running things. Well, time to change things up a bit.

"Okay, I'll give you one chance to explain yourself." Andrew stuck out his index finger.

"That's all the chances I need." The hooded grinned under his mask. "Now, I need a nice and quiet place for our little meeting." He pointed back and forth from him and Oikonny.

"I know the place. Follow me."

Avery, Solomon, and Hutch watched as this mysterious, hooded figure showed up and managed to drag away the only source to reviving their emperor. Not like their plan would have worked without a complete translation of the documents.

"Do we have to kill him as well, since he's going to interfere with out stuff?" Hutch sounded irritated.

"How dare he compare us to Star Wolf." Solomon complained. "So what if we're using him like they were, at least he has some worth around here. That's the only thing keeping him alive through here."

"It's the only thing he has going towards him." Avery said. "I gotta say, this will hurt us him he's able to switch him around. As for now, just try and be tolerable like we are with Oikonny."

Avery sat down in one of the tables and opened the folder containing Andross' documents. He looked through the paragraphs of glyphs that needed to be translated. "Let finish this."

Solomon looked down at the pages that were left and the key that was left incomplete by Andross.

"Okay," Solomon sighed and plopped into the next chair.

Andrew took the hooded to Andross' room. The only place where they wouldn't be disturbed, unless one of the three had a stupid question that needed an in-your-face answer. The hooded walked in and took in the surroundings. Not much was in the room, just a desk, some filing cabinets, and a bed. The hooded also saw something of interest on that desk.

A glass orb filled a purple liquid. Inside was a brain floating around carelessly. It did a double take as it recognized Andrew and immediately began to swim erratically in the orb.

"Is that… Andross?" The hooded pointed at the orb.

"Yes. I'll let you admire him in his naked state." Andrew went around the desk and began petting the orb.

The hooded made the walk to Andross' desk and was in awe at the brain floating around. He picked his hand and began tapping on the glass. The brain reacted and shook itself, as if it was telling the hooded not to do that again, which he did. Andross' brain jolted forward and hit the walls, but floated backwards as it dazed itself.

"Anyways, explain who you are and what you're doing here." Andrew sat in the chair.

The hooded removed his hand from the glass and took a deep breath.

"I simply want to serve Andross." The hooded said in straight voice. "I have a personal… let's just call it disagreement with Corneria. Everything that led me here was fueled by this hatred to them, I needed to find Star Wolf, but now, you."

Andrew placed his elbows on the desk and leaned forward. "Why did you want to find me?"

The hooded found a nearby chair and sat in it. "Because I feel that everything you're doing is for the greater good. Andross, in his sense, was right. I was just too late to see it."

The hooded rolled up his left sleeve and presented a communication device strapped to his wrist.

"Are you here to sell me comm devices?" Andrew threw his hands apart.

"No. It's what's in this device that I'm willing to show you. Not sell. Show."

The hooded started to push a few icons on the touch screen. The device beeped as he was tapping rapidly. Andrew watched as the hooded pushed aimlessly at his wrist, as if he was trying to find something buried in all his information. Finally, in what felt like days, the hooded brought his arm up and flicked his finger towards the ceiling.

The entire room was engulfed in a blue light. Andrew looked up and saw an entire projection filling the room, filled with intimate details about each planet in Lylat. The boxes of information then formed into round spheres. Each sphere a name from one of the planets. The entire Lylat System formed in front of Oikonny and Andross' brain was swimming, as if trying to get a better view of the hologram.

The hooded brought down his arm and started walking to a planet far from the one labeled 'Fortuna'. He took it gently in his hand and presented it to Andrew.

"This is the planet you are hunting for. Sauria." He extended the planet forward.

Andrew took the hologram of the planet in his cupped hands. He saw the name labeled across the equator and saw that there were detailed clouds floating.

"How did you," Andrew started, but was cut off as the hooded began explaining.

"I have deep connections within the Cornerian databases. I can show you anything you want." The hooded began tapping on his device and the hologram began shifting.

An algorithm of information began to spill into large computer windows. Names of important figures and their current locations. Dates of meeting from major corporations working across Lylat.

"Need someone hunted down?" The hooded mocked.

The hooded tapped again. The device began to display another source of information into the windows.

"How about some personal details about anyone for blackmail? Or better yet."

He tapped away on his device.

"My personal favorite. Conspiracy theories. Did we really evolve into what we are now? Or are we genetic mutations from these things called 'humans'." The hooded brought up a detailed diagram of this human figure.

"This one always intrigued me. How these creatures mutated our kinds and forced us into these planets far, far away from their own. Left us to fight and survive as they documented everything."

He played a small clip of a gigantic explosion. A bright, white light which was then followed by a rising mushroom cloud.

"After their extinction by their own hands, our kinds joined together to build a new civilization. We began to do basic human functions, such as reading and writing. Created our one language. And from that, many different tongues were created from this one."

The hooded tapped at his device and shut it off. The entire room dimmed back to the orange hue from the lamps surrounding the room.

"But enough of that, this is about us. Coming together and bringing Lylat to the peace it so longingly deserves."

Andrew rubbed his eyes and had to adjust to everything around him. He was wondering if all that he saw was real, so he gave himself a small slap to wake himself up. Turns out, he was already awake. The hooded chuckled.

"I know it's a lot to take in. But here's my pitch." The hooded went to the chair and sat down. "Reading about those humans, seeing how their nations were disjointed and were the ultimate cause of their downfall, it reminds me of what I'm seeing now. They didn't have a single body to watch over them and keep everything in check."

The hooded leaned over and put a hand on Andross' orb. The brain inside scurried away from the hand. "That is what Andross was trying to accomplish. A unified Lylat under the rule of one supreme emperor." He removed his hand and turned back to Oikonny.

"My uncle was leading a revolt against Corneria for his banishment. I didn't know he was trying to bring peace to Corneria." Andrew rubbed his temples.

"And that's what Corneria doesn't tell you." The hooded stood up quickly. "Which is why we need to bring your uncle back. To restore peace across Lylat. Oikonny, listen to what I am telling you. This plan will work."

The hooded placed both hands on his shoulders. Andrew looked him dead in his piercing yellow eyes. Andrew puffed his chest and nodded. "Okay. But we don't know how to resurrect him."

"And that's where I come in." The hooded brought his arm up again and turned the device on. He scrolled through a pre-made checklist and displayed it for Andrew to see.

"I've been to the planet. I've seen that temple that you didn't have the chance to search. I've seen the altar on where we will do this process. And I know how to perform it."

Andrew eyes grew wide. "You?"

"Yes. It took me a good amount of time to piece it together, and extensive research, but I figured it out. I know how to perform it. It is a very delicate procedure, one that requires a very specific group of participants. And I have a list of who we should get."

"Do you have a plan?"

"It is quite a simple plan, but it involves you and a squad of you best pilots. I need you to take them to Corneria and…"

"Whoa, wait! Why am I going to Corneria? I am going to be there for my uncle's revival." Andrew approached the hooded in a threatening manner.

"Oikonny, you have to listen to me. This plant won't work without you going to Corneria. We need you to distract McCloud and his crew for as long so that another group can invade Sauria."

Andrew became a little confused and brought his hand up to stop the hooded from talking. "Wait. They're leaving the planet? Then why not attack them when they're gone?"

"I understand that. But think about it. If they heard you were attacking the planet, they'd turn around in a flash and be there to ruin everything. You're the perfect distraction to get Star Fox far from Sauria. They'll go to any threat on Corneria, and if you're the prize to get, then they'll be distracted so the rest of us can attack."

The hooded began to zoom onto Sauria and showed a detailed map of the region. "They'll leave soon after their commander arrives. Which would be 1300 hours on Sauria. Which means we have no more than two hours to get half of your forces to Corneria, while the other half make their way to the backside of the planet."

The hooded rotated Sauria and it showed five red dots flying near the atmosphere. "These fighters circle the planet once every three hours. They'll be a small opening an hour after Star Fox's departure. The other half of you squad will fly through the atmosphere undetected."

"Where are you in all this?" Andrew's question echoed in the quiet room.

"I'll be on the surface during this time." The hooded's answer sounded confidant.

"You'll be planet side? Won't they notice someone like you wearing all black?"

"Trust me. I have the perfect disguise."

The hooded then jumped away from Sauria and the hologram floated to Corneria. He zoomed in more and displayed the Corneria Defense Force tower. The tower had red spots, which were possible weak points to cripple major areas.

"This plan doesn't work without you going to Corniera. Andrew look at me."

The hooded removed his mask to show his full face. "I need you to do this." He then put the mask back on. "I promise you. I won't start it until you arrive on Sauria." He brought up his right hand. "I swear to it."

Andrew was worried that during the attack on Corneria, they'd proceed the resurrection without him. They could always go back on a swear, but he is the only one with knowledge to get through this whole operation. "Okay. I'll do it. When do we strike?"

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Andrew yelled out. "We haven't finished most of the ships here!"

"It's our only shot," the hooded brought up his device, "before I get caught. We need to do this tomorrow. No matter what."

Andrew looked at the device on his wrist. It blinked rapidly with a yellow light. The device looked very sleek, but had wires bulging out. A prototype that was probably still under construction. Andrew thought he saw what looked like 'Corneria' written across the bottom of the screen.

"That timeframe is all I have before Corneria catches me. This doesn't work without me. So we need to do this tomorrow. No buts."

Andrew sat back down in the chair behind and placed his arms on his legs and hands closed together under his chin. They weren't ready for an assault of any kind. The ships were still being manufactured, so leaving them in the state would be catastrophic. However, the hooded's words kept ringing in this mind.

He held the answers to how this resurrection would go. He's seen the altar firsthand and knows how to reach the planet. If there was a time to act, then it had to be when the hooded said. Tomorrow would be their only chance to get this right. After that, Venom would for sure get seized when the hooded gets caught.

"Okay. I'll tell everyone to double down on everything now." Andrew shot up and jogged to the hooded's spot. "I'll be trusting him with you."

Andrew grabbed the orb and handed it to the hooded. He took Andross' brain in his hands and felt the weight of the brain floating around. The hooded brought it to his eye level. Underneath his mask, he was grinning mischievously.

"I'll promise you, I'll keep him safe. As of now, you need to announce to everyone that we'll be attacking soon."

Andrew nodded and sprinted out of Andross' room. The hooded looked back at Andross' brain. "You and I are going to be good friends. I'll make sure Corneria burns around our feet."

Avery and Solomon were still trying to wrap their heads around the translations. Solomon was banging his head on the table, trying to get through the next four letters on the paper. Avery was pulling on his fur that he would have ripped it out if it weren't for Andrew calling out.

"Everyone! Listen up!"

Andrew ran into the large room, those who were taking a break were startled at his booming presence. Avery and Solomon rose from their seats. Andrew saw them working on the translation and straight to the document. He grabbed it and began tearing the papers inside.

"Oikonny! We're not done with it!" Avery screamed.

"It doesn't matter. We don't need it. We have him." Andrew pointed to the hooded, who emerged from the hallway with Andross' brain in his hands.

"My friend here knows how to revive my uncle!" Andrew presented the hooded to the entire assembly. "The news that I bring to you is that we must carry out this mission tomorrow!"

The chatter began. Some complained about the ship not being ready, which Andrew was expecting.

"I understand that most of our ships still need work. But the plan doesn't pull without our friend. Tomorrow, he will be on Sauria. I will take half of you and plan a distraction for Star Fox on Corneria. It is a small, yet intricate plan. It will work and we will have our wonder Andross back. We just need everyone to work double time. Now!"

Andrew's words echoed and everyone stared at him. Nobody moved and it was quiet that the only sound were the fog storm whirling outside the base's walls. The assembly grew into a whisper, everyone having their thoughts on working overtime to get the ships in, at least, working order.

If Andrew's words rang true, then tomorrow would be their only shot at reviving their fallen emperor. Everyone in the assembly quickly stood up and ran to the hangers on the other side of the base, mostly to finish the broken ships.

Andrew followed after them and left Avery, Solomon, and the hooded in the large room. The hooded slowly approached a flabbergasted Avery. "Don't worry. My plan involves you two and your big friend."

"What is your deal?" Avery looked up.

"Like I told Oikonny, I have a personal gripe against Corneria. This plan won't work without him doing that suicide mission on Corneria. While you three, you'll lead the charge to Sauria."

"We'll lead?" Solomon was puzzled.

"I know you're looking for a real leader. You're trying to get under his skin, make him do the things you want. Well, how about you skin him alive now. This is your one chance."

Avery and Solomon looked at each other and backed to the hooded. He held Andross close to him and the brain looked like it was moving closer to him. Almost as if it was changing allegiance to this authoritative figure. They looked back at each other and nodded.

"We're in." Avery said.

"Great," the hooded said. "Tomorrow you three will lead the other half to Sauria for a surprise attack. I'll be on the ground with Andross, waiting for the opportunity to go to the temple."

"Won't they notice someone like you?" Solomon pointed out.

"Don't worry." The hooded removed his mask. "I have the perfect disguise."

* * *

A/N: Shit goes down.

Until then, Stabby out.


	20. Chapter XX

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter XX

"Okay now. You see these metal blades?"

Krystal nodded.

"Those are iron sights. You're going to want to align the rear peep to the front post at the end of the blaster. It's best to close one eye to see better."

Krystal closed her left eye to get an accurate see-through. Fox stood behind her, his hands hovering under her arms. His face was looking over her right shoulder.

"Make sure your shoulders are square towards your target." Fox gently grabbed her shoulders and positioned Krystal to where she was facing the target Fox set up, which was a piece of paper pinned to a tree. The paper had a large, red "X" printed on it.

"Also, make sure your hips are squared as well." Fox moved his hands down to her hips and held them firmly. Krystal slowly looked to Fox with a smirk on her face. Fox put out the most innocent look he put across his face. Krystal rolled her eyes and focused on the target in front of her.

She started to wiggle her hips in an attempt to straighten her stance, but also to feel how Fox would react to it. Of course, it's what she expected. She felt his eyes staring down at her hips, as if he was being hypnotized by them, which is just what she wanted.

Fox tried to pull his gaze, but it looked like she was doing it on purpose, it felt like torture to him. Krystal stopped her wiggling and stood still. Her main focus was on the target that Fox made. Fox released his grasp from Krystal's hips and stepped back. He took in the form of Krystal, she was still wearing his jacket from last night.

_Damn. She looks good._

Krystal looked through the iron sights and her vision became a cone towards the "X". She held a tight grip on Fox's blaster. The blaster was a lot lighter and smaller than her own staff, but she knew it could back a lot of power behind it. After she witnessed Fox using it in the afternoon, she wanted to take a small shot at it.

The trees outside the temple was the best place where they wouldn't be disturbed. One tree across the stream was the perfect target, it was big and a good forty yards away. Fox had to make his way through the shin high water to put the paper up and then come back.

"Take your time. When you're ready, pull the trigger hard." Fox explained. Her arms were extended straight. Fox approached again and slightly bent her elbows. "It's best to bend the elbows a little, so that your arms aren't strained after shooting."

Krystal felt Fox's hands drift from her arms and down to the sides of her body. She could sense that he was trying to find her curves and memorize them for himself. Fox gave her sides a small squeeze and Krystal let out a small giggle.

"I think I'm ready for the shot." Krystal said.

Fox withdrew his hands and stood back a few feet. Krystal took in a breath as the target was now dead center with the iron sights. She began to squeeze the trigger, but found it hard to pull. She closed her eyes and pulled as hard as she could. The trigger released and she heard a loud blast coming from right next to her.

The force was strong that it propelled the blaster up, but the tight grip she had didn't make the blaster fly in the air. Instead, her arms also flew up with the force of the recoil. She let out a scream as Fox rushed next to her and grabbed her wrists in the air. She opened her eyes and saw the blaster and Fox's hands holding them in the air. Fox brought her arms down slowly and looked out across the stream.

"Did I hit it? I closed my eyes before I shot." Krystal squinted out to see if she hit the target.

"I'll go check." Fox released his hold and began walking across the stream. The current was a little stronger than normal, but he was able to cross it with no problem.

He reached the target and it looked like Krystal missed initially. Fox learned that Krystal prided herself on never missing a target with her staff. Fox knew that she was alien to Cornerian technology, so there was no need to cry over it.

Fox looked over the paper to make sure he didn't miss a hole. He's glad he double checked because he saw where the beam hit. Right where the "X" intersects. It was the most accurate shot Fox has ever seen that he ripped the paper from the tree and brought it to show Krystal.

He quickly jogged back across the stream and Krystal saw the paper in hand. Her eyes grew wide as Fox presented her the paper. He put his finger through the hole in the center of the "X".

"You hit it dead on." Fox sounded thrilled.

"I did!"

"Yeah! Right on the X."

Krystal let out a small squeal of delight and wrapped her arms around Fox's neck. Fox was thrown off at first but returned the hug. Krystal pushed off, but had her arms loosely around his neck. She traced the gun around his neck and brought the blaster under his chin. Fox's eyes went wide as Krystal came close to his maw.

"Would you say I'm a better shot than you?" She whispered in a seductive tone.

Fox was frozen. His own blaster was held under his chin by the vixen that he became attached to. Fox could see that she was slightly moving her chest with a raised brow, trying to get him distracted. Fox was breathing heavily as he did his best to avoid Krystal's chest, that and he had a weapon that could kill him under his chin. He let out a small whimper as he felt himself being constricted in his pants.

Krystal's grin grew wider as she stormed into his mouth. Krystal dropped the blaster and put her free hand back around Fox's neck. Fox started to fight back and grabbed Krystal by her hips and began to guide her to a nearby tree. Fox pinned Krystal by her hips and started to drag his lips from hers and to her neck.

He started to lightly bite her neck and Krystal was letting out soft moans. Fox started to glide his hands from her hips and up her body. Krystal could feel how strong he was with just his touch, it brought another rush of arousal to her. She slipped her hands all the way to Fox's belt.

Fox could hear Krystal trying to unfasten his belt, so Fox moved up more, under his jacket, and behind Krystal's back to where the clasp that held her bust perfectly. He started to fidget with it, trying his best to unhook it as Krystal finally found out how to unfasten a belt. She slid a hand under his pants as Fox continued biting her neck and finally unhooked her chestplate.

**BEEP BEEP**

"Fox," Krystal tried saying through gasps. "You should get that."

"I know." Fox whispered.

"It's probably your team."

"I know." He started to make his way down her chest.

Krystal used her free hand to stop Fox. He looked up at her and she lightly pushed Fox off her. She removed her hand from his pants and used them to fasten the clasp that Fox loosened. Fox pushed off the tree and looked down at his wristcomm. Sure enough, Peppy was calling him and Fox answered.

"Go for Fox."

"Fox. It's Peppy. We just heard that Fetcher is beginning his descent to Sauria. You should probably get here so we can greet him and leave."

Fox sighed. As much as he wanted to stay and get to know more about the vixen that he for sure stole his heart, he had a mission that came first. "I'll be there shortly."

Fox cut the feed, fastened his belt, and turned back to Krystal. She finished hooking her chestplate and looked at Fox. She stuck out her tongue slowly and Fox held in a breath. She walked over to Fox and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I guess this is goodbye, for now." Krystal buried her face in Fox's chest.

"Don't worry, I promise I'll be back." Fox gave her a tight hug. He started to nibble on her ear. Krystal started to laugh.

"Before you go, I have something I'd like to give you." Krystal removed herself from his chest. She brought her left arm up. Fox saw that she had a bracelet that she didn't have before. It looked like it was made from a shiny red mineral. She untied it and took Fox's hand. "I made it for you. Each rock is said to bring the wearer healing and protection."

Fox was completely speechless. Krystal took his right wrist and she wrapped it around. Once Krystal felt it was snug on Fox's wrist, she released her grasp and Fox took a long look at the bracelet. He studied each rock, they had white dots spotted over them and what seemed like an orange swirl inside the rock.

"Krystal, I… thank you."

Krystal had one more thing she needed to give Fox. She began to remove her arms from his jacket. It did wonders keeping her warm, but it wasn't hers to keep. Fox saw her taking it off, but stopped her before she could remove it. He slid it back up her arms and fixed it on herself. He held it by the collar and got closer to Krystal.

"Keep it. I'll be back for it anyways."

Krystal's smile grew wide as she jumped forward and gave him another kiss. She loved the feeling of his tongue against hers. For some reason, to her, it felt natural. Not just that, but the way his body felt against her. Their forms complimented each other perfectly when they rubbed against one another, it was almost like they were made for each other.

Krystal had to break before either one got carried away, again. Fox felt this and retreated. Above them, they heard the loud engines echoing in the distance. Fox looked up and saw a large Cornerian carrier descending. The same one Fetcher left in.

Fox couldn't feel it, but Krystal felt a little unease, like someone was watching them. She didn't get this feeling until now and she tried to find out if anyone was watching them. Fox noticed Krystal's unease.

"Is something wrong?" Fox asked.

"It's nothing," she replied quickly. "I thought I heard something. Fox, you should really get back with your team."

Fox didn't want to push it anymore and he really did need to return to his teammates. With one final kiss, he looked into Krystal's eyes.

"I'll be back." He whispered.

Krystal looked right into his eyes. "I'll be waiting."

Fox smiled and looked to see the Cornerian carrier slowly falling behind the trees. He should at least be there to show Fetcher that he was more committed to watching Sauria as much as he was. Fox gave Krystal a small peck on the cheek and took off. Krystal giggled at that and watched Fox jog off to Walled City.

Krystal's ears perked as she heard some rustling behind her. She quickly looked around and didn't see anything out of place. She surveyed the area with her eyes before using her telepath to feel for any presence. Sure enough, she felt that someone was watching them. They were hiding behind one of the trees and she snuck around for a vantage point.

"I'm going to get big credits for these."

Finally, she crept around the tree and saw a lone soldier from the camp. She saw a device in his hand. He was vigorously pushing buttons, his tongue stuck out the side of his mouth. Krystal revealed herself to the soldier.

"What are you doing out here?" She demanded.

The soldier let out a scream and dropped his device. He quickly went for it, but Krystal jabbed the butt of her staff on his wrist. He cried out as Krystal knelt and took the device. Her eyes widened as she tried to process what she was seeing. A very intimate picture of her and Fox, one in which her hand was in a very special area.

"How did you get these?" She screamed out, blushing.

"I took a picture, duh." He rubbed his wrist. "I took a bunch of pictures. I'll admit, that was pretty hot, what you two were doing."

Krystal wondered how to see the other photos. Remembering the time she tried Cornerian technology in the mall, she started swiping left and right on the device. Her eyes widened as she saw the other pictures of her and Fox. From their target practice to when they came together in their small bliss.

"Erase them!"

"Can't do that, babe. Unless." The soldier started to approach Krystal. "We have a little fun ourselves."

Krystal backed a little and the soldier grabbed her by the arms. She did not like that and became enraged. She didn't hold back as she threw her head back and unleashed a brutal headbutt. The soldier fell back and grabbed his muzzle. Krystal could sense that he didn't learn his lesson, so she quickly swept under his legs, tripping him and watching him fall hard on his back.

She took her staff and pointed it right on his neck. The soldier scrunched as he had blood coming out of his nose, seeing it seep through the cracks of his fingers.

"Erase them," Krystal demanded.

"I can't." He said. "I already sent them to Corneria. You'll be on the front page for the evening issue."

Krystal released the hold and went to his device. Seeing the oddly erotic picture of her and Fox together, she took the spear and shoved it into the device. Hearing it break and sparks coming out of it. She grabbed it and threw it to the soldier.

"The hell? This was a new phone you bitch!"

Krystal went blank.

The soldier saw the change on her face and started to fear for himself. He began crawling back as Krystal slowly walked to him. He wasn't fast enough and Krystal caught up to him. He could see Krystal raise her foot in the air and he tried to block it but missed. Krystal released a full drop right on his nose and she heard it break.

The soldier cried out as he rolled on the ground and blood continued running out his nose. Krystal looked down at him, this was supposed to Corneria's best troops. She rolled her eyes and left him there as she began walking back to the palace.

While walking, she noticed Fox's blaster that she dropped when they were busy. She didn't see him in the distance, so she quickly picked it up and dashed to the camp.

The Cornerian carrier expelled pressure as it finally landed. Fox made his way back to show Fetcher that this was an urgent mission that they both needed to be on high alert. Of course, one did get a little sidetracked with his special friend, but he was still able to watch over Sauria. The door began to lower slowly and standing at the edge was Colonel Fetcher, alone.

Odd, Fox remembered that he left with at least a couple of soldiers, or at least he thought since he wasn't there for Fetcher's send off. Whether he left them on other planets with Cornerian bases, or they were picked up during their trips in space, Fox didn't pay it much attention. Fetcher made his walk down and stood in front of Fox and the rest of his team.

"McCloud."

"Colonel."

Fetcher took a quick glance around the area and saw that nothing significant has changed. He recognized Bill walking behind Star Fox and Fetcher went through them to greet him.

"Bill. Any worthy updates?" Fetcher gave Bill a hearty handshake.

"Um, not much." Bill said as he returned the handshake. "Everything's really been the same since you left."

"Well, that's good." Fetcher released the shake and motioned for Bill to follow him.

Bill saw this and had to follow orders. He turned to Fox and mouthed a 'sorry' before catching up with Fetcher in the camp. Fox understood. However, he wasn't a fan of what Fetcher did. Then again, Fox didn't stick around when Fetcher left a week ago.

He didn't let it get to him. Fox motioned for his team to take their leave. Bill, for sure, would have been there for the take off, but had orders to follow. Auserij and Sosacao weren't there, but they had a tribe to manage. Not even Krystal was present, but they already said their goodbyes and he wasn't going to hold it against her.

Fox turned to his team and motioned with his head for the team to enter the Great Fox. They followed him in and the main doors began to lift up. Fox suddenly shot up, as if he had a revelation come across him. He teammate noticed and they began asking him everything was alright.

_Fox!_

Fox turned around and went to the console to stop the doors from closing. They fell back down and Fox could see Krystal in the distance waving him down and running to the Great Fox. Fox went out and met Krystal halfway. He could see that she was panting and she put up a finger to give herself time to catch her breath.

"Krystal, what happened?" Fox said as she stood upright.

"You forgot this." She brough his blaster and gave it to him.

"Oh. Yeah, I guess I did." Fox took it and put it in his holster.

Krystal finally composed herself and was breathing normally. However, she started to breath heavy again as they caught another glimpse of each other. Fox formed a toothy grin as he looked Krystal over. She saw this and didn't call him out on it. Instead, it looked like she posed for him, letting him take in her form and all the little details about her.

Krystal looked over his shoulder and could see the rest of his team looking a little irritated. She snapped Fox back to reality. "I think your teammates are waiting for you."

Fox looked back and saw Falco, Slippy, and Peppy with their arms crossed. He turned back and still had his grin. Krystal smiled and shook her head. She leaned forward and returned the kiss on the cheek he gave her.

"Stay safe." She whispered.

"I will." He answered back.

Fox reluctantly backed up and forced himself to turn around. He walked back to see his crew staring at him. Fox looked at each one of them.

"What? We're just friends."

Friends who like to explore each other very much.

"That's what I said, ya know." Falco said.

Falco gave Fox a friendly punch. Fox rolled his eyes and everyone followed him inside the hanger. The door began to close, leaving the vixen watching from afar. She stood their until she heard the Great Fox's engines start up. The landing gears began rising off the ground and retracted back into the ship. The Great Fox slowly rose above the trees and started flying forward.

Krystal stood their watching the entire takeoff. She brought her hand to her eyebrows and gave Star Fox a small salute. She brought her hands together and pressed them close to her lips as she began praying to her Cerinian deities for Fox and his crew to succeed on their mission and for another safe return.

* * *

Wolf was always active during the day, which is why he needed an all-purpose nap in his office. His snoring was only matched by how heavy of a sleeper he was. Only a major emergency was needed to wake him from his slumber.

Leon and Pigma didn't dare enter his office when he took his naps. Wolf would surely skin them alive if they disrupted him. So that left all the maintenance and supplies in the hands of the two.

"It looks like were fine with medicinal and provisions." Leon checked on his datapad.

"Stop using those big words like you know what they mean." Pigma said as he opened one of the boxes.

A resupply of bandages and rubbing alcohol as Pigma ran through the remaining to treat his wound from a week ago. Leon rolled his eyes and continued to look through the rest of his checklist. It was mostly Leon keeping the station alive as Pigam was dragging himself and almost destroyed everything he touched.

He saw that the Wolfens needed to be treated over for simple mechanical problems. He shut off his pad and put some working gloves on.

"C'mon. We gotta see what's wrong with the ships."

Pigma put down the supplies and went to the workbench to get his own pair of gloves. He didn't walk no more than a few steps before he was flown to the bench by a powerful force. Leon was walking up one of the stairs next to the Wolfen when he, too, was thrown off and fell into the cockpit of Wolf's ship.

A loud explosion was heard from the other side of the station and that's what got Wolf's attention. He grabbed the desk and pulled the chair upright. He thought that this was the work of either Leon or Pigma. Which is why he yelled out the door towards the main hangers.

"You trying to kill us or something?"

Leon and Pigma couldn't answer as the station was hit with another explosion. Wolf was thrown against the doorframe as it was apparent that it wasn't coming from his two acquaintances. Wolf got on his feet and sprinted to the main hanger. Wolf saw Leon picking himself up from the Wolfen and Pigma was on the ground, rolling.

"The hell is happening?" Wolf demanded.

"We don't know." Leon jumped from the Wolfen.

WARNING: UNKNOWN AIRCARFTS ENTERING STATION'S AIRSPACE

The announcement was blaring throughout the station. Wolf went to the console and saw a flurry of bogies around the station. They should be covered. No one should know their location. Unless someone told them.

ACCESS CODE: AO1-15. COMMUNCATION LINK GRANTED.

Wolf recognized that access code. He wanted to cancel the grant, but the cackling voice of Oikonny came screaming through the station.

"Oikonny!" Wolf screamed.

"Oh, hello there, Wolf. I completely forgot that your station was here. I asked my guys to do a small gun check to see if everything was working."

Wolf could feel his shit-eating grin from where he was standing. He looked at the radar of the surrounding area. He could have counted about two hundred around the entire station. All were stationary and pointed towards them.

"You're going to pay for getting us framed in your shit."

"Oh, please. You should have taken that guy's offer from the start. Then you'd be with me to conquer the system."

Wolf had a puzzled face, but remembered who it was he was talking about.

"He found you?"

"He saw what I was capable of. Everything that I've done, brining these poor souls to new life. And soon, my uncle will be brought to new life." Oikonny began laughing.

Wolf had a cold look glaze across him. Even Leon and Pigma feared his look.

"It can't be," Leon whispered.

"I am serious, lizard." Oikonny directed his voice to Leon. "But first, we're going on a small trip to Corneria." Oikonny's line went blank before he returned. "Light 'em up!"

With that, all the ships surrounding the station began firing. The cloaking device was destroyed and fully revealed the station. It made firing that much easier for them. The barrage lasted a few minutes, the station looked like it went through a grinder as many of the ports were gone, but luckily for Star Wolf, their hanger wasn't blown to oblivion.

Wolf picked himself off and looked around the hanger. There were small fires and the roof was collapsing. This was the final straw. He went to the console and saw the ships leaving the station's area. Was they were all gone, Wolf began to power up his Wolfen.

"Wolf! You're not chasing him. It's suicide." Leon protested.

"He's crossed the fucking line already. We should have offed him and dropped him as a present on that dinosaur planet." With a few clicks, his Wolfen was ready to be deployed. He ran up the steps and was about to drop in until Leon tried to reason.

"If Corneria sees you with him, they'll go after you too."

Wolf thought it over. Even if he wasn't a part of Oikonny's assault, he was still framed for going to Sauria. But if it meant killing Oikonny and stopping all this, then he'd take the risk.

"I'm stopping him. Either you two can join me or stay back and clean the station up." Wolf dropped into his Wolfen and powered it up. He checked through his preflight routine and was ready for the launch. The engines powered up and Wolf unlocked the clamp. The launcher shot him forward. He looked to his right and saw the fleet slowly moving towards Corneria's location, avoiding the asteroids in their path.

Wolf thought this a perfect opportunity to stay behind and follow without being detected. He was probably going to be fighting Cornerian forces, Oikonny's army, and possibly Star Fox. He had a small idea, but hated it. However, it would ensure that he would stay alive on Corneria.

* * *

The Great Fox was floating through space for two hours. The team inside was patiently awaiting any sort of disturbance to trace. They were hopeful that they could trace anything to Star Wolf. Their manhunt was unsuccessful two weeks ago that Fox suggested they were somehow off the grid.

Corneria's system was very powerful and tracked movement from all the planets, but none could say definitively they were housing Star Wolf. Fox was sitting in the captain's chair and ROB was working near the main console, guiding the Great Fox to any source of trouble.

"Anything?" Fox asked the robot.

"Searches have come up negative. Will begin a new ping." ROB pushed a few buttons to start another ping.

Corneria hadn't called in. Fox radioed Pepper that they left. Pepper said they'd be in contact if anything suspicious was happening. It's a bit odd since the first time they departed Sauria, they had a lead almost an hour after they left. Fox held his hopes up that they would find something, but as of now, it was silence.

Everything was quiet in space.

Fox got up from the chair and went to the den. Once there, he saw Falco flipping through the tv's channels. He was on the higher stations, looking for movies or on-demand stuff.

"Nothing." Falco stated. He threw the remote on the sofa. He leaned back, his head dangling over the sofa as he saw Fox. "So?"

Fox looked up from the fridge. "So what?"

"How was she?" Falco lifted a brow.

"Ugh." Fox rolled his eyes. Falco trying to get nosy was something Fox grew custom to. "Nothing happened. We just talked."

You did a little more than talk. Fox shook his head at his inner mind's comment.

"It's fine. You're still going slow. Little vanilla doesn't hurt anyone." Falco picked his head up.

"What?!"

"Nothing. Run along captain. You gotta ship to take care of." Falco snickered.

Fox closed the fridge and went to the door. He stopped there and turned back. "Sometimes, I don't even understand you. Like, at all."

"If you're done with Peppy's advice, I could give you some." Falco offered.

"Thanks, but everything between us is going well. No offense, but if I wanted to start something with her, I'll go to the person who is actually married."

Falco's eyes went wide, and his grin went wider. "Already planning that far ahead?"

Fox went red. "N-no! I-I just meant I want someone with, you know. E-Experience."

Falco laughed. "Don't worry, Fox. My beak is sealed." Falco made a zipping noise as his wing went across his beak.

Fox's face went fully red as he tried to hide his feelings for the vixen from his friend. Fox left the den abruptly and Falco had a small laugh about it. After it died down, he picked up the remote and began circling through the channels. Once he reached the end of the high numbers, the selection went back to the single digits.

He circled through the daytime stuff, soap operas and infomercials. The things that took up the daytime spot. After he saw a few minutes of an all-absorbing sponge. The feed was cut and showed a live feed of Corneria City. Falco took a moment to see what was happening and immediately stood up. The live feed and the anchors were drowned out as Falco stared at what was happening.

"Fox!"

Falco stood there as he heard Fox's footsteps running back to the den. Fox slid in and saw Falco standing. "What?"

Falco didn't turn. Fox got closer and saw the live feed of Corneria City. Just as it was beginning to rebuild, a new attack happened. Fox started back out and so did Falco. They both bolted out of the den.

"Get the others!" Fox ordered.

"Yeah! Got it!" Falco turned down the hall into the quarters and to the elevator. He quickly pushed for Slippy and Peppy's location. Once he found it, he put the comm on the loudspeaker in the engineering room.

"Slip! Pep! Get up here. Corneria is under attack!"

Fox went to the deck. "ROB! Get me a line to Corneria City, now!"

ROB went to the hologram desk to set up a link, but the lines in Corneria City were down. "All outgoing communications have been destroyed."

Fox felt like the only option was to go to Corneria City and deal with whoever it was. Once the other three members busted in, Fox looked up.

"What happened?" Peppy asked, out of breath.

"Corneria is being under attack." Fox answered.

"Do you think it's Star Wolf?" Slippy asked.

"I don't know. Maybe it's connected. We won't know until we go there." Fox scooted over and brought up a map of Lylat. "It'll take us at least an hour to get there. Unless."

"Fox. You're not thinking." Peppy knew where he was going.

"We'll be on Corneria to get the damages out. ROB! Get us a course to Corneria."

ROB began inputting the coordinates and Star Fox sat in their seats and fastened themselves. "We're set, ROB."

ROB punched the override and the entire Great Fox went dark. The ship began to shift in the direction of Corneria and engines whirred loudly. A few seconds later, they were jettisoned in the direction of Corneria, hoping they weren't late.

* * *

The entire city was intact. Every inhabitant saw from where they were the destruction of the CDF tower. Including a pink feline who was watching the horror on tv from a café. The tower was standing on what seemed like a thread. Katt looked out the window to see the fighters flying around and taking their shots at the tower.

She put down her cup and ran outside for a better view. It was not better at all. She began pushing her way through a crowd as she could see more clearly the Cornerian forces trying to shoot down the enemies. She figured that she might as well give them a hand. Any saving she does may contribute to a more liking and higher pay when it's all done.

She pushed to the street and ran down to where her ship was, which she always dubs the "Kattillac". It was a few blocks down, where the other appointed ships were. She quickly jumped in and started it up.

"Hope you guys are coming." She said. She lifted off the ground and took off the CDF.

* * *

The Great Fox shook violently at breakneck speeds. Fox tried not to do this again, but this was a matter of great emergency. If Corneria didn't call them about what was happening, then this group must have striked them without anyone knowing. He wondered how that was possible. Corneria does regular searches of their planet.

"Corneria approaching." ROB said through the commotion.

The Great Fox began slowing down until a full halt. Everyone braced themselves for the impending push forward. It happened and they all were thrown back into their headrests. The lights turned back on as the Great Fox began to descend into Corneria's atmosphere. Fox unbuckled himself once ROB gave the all clear.

"ROB, get the Arwings ready!" Fox yelled as he exited the deck.

The three unfastened themselves and followed their captain. Fox decided not to wait on the elevator and instead, used the emergency stairs behind the shaft. He pushed the door open and jumped down at least three steps at a time. He jumped over the railings when he reached the descending floor.

Overall, Fox got a good exercise from it and the other three were trying their best to keep up with him. When Fox reached the hanger, ROB did them a favor and already had the launch doors open. The Arwings were primed, all that was needed was the quick check and they'd be off.

Fox quickly went to his Arwing and jumped from the second story railing into it. He shut the canopy and went through his checklist. Once he was done, he looked and saw the other members getting into their Arwings and quickly going over their list.

"Everyone ready?" Fox asked through the comms.

"Ready!" They said in unison.

"Launch us, ROB!"

One by one, the Arwings were catapulted into Corneria's blue skies. Fox turned on his navigation and radar. He could see the CDF's location pinging. "Switch to all-range mode. This is going to be an ugly fight."

Fox's wings spread out as did the rest. Fox saw the number of enemies on his radar. Some were being destroyed while others were doing the destruction. "Let's do this."

Fox took a nosedive and they followed. They were going blindly through the thick clouds. The water forming on their windshields didn't help to see what was happening. They finally flew out of the clouds and could see the fight below him. The CDF tower was in the worst condition.

It looked like some bombs were shot and a good chunk was taken out. Fox could see that the general's quarters were still intact. He tried to open communication with Pepper there. The line was static, but he heard faint voices.

"Alright everyone, split up. Don't be afraid to call on Corneria for help, okay?" Fox commanded.

"We got it, Fox." Slippy said.

"I'm going to see if I can get Pepper on a line." Fox shifted the lines. All the while, trying to fight off any fighters he could see. And what he saw were Venom ships. The same ones that he was shooting down during the Lylat Wars. It was obvious to Fox that Star Wolf was getting Venom out of the ashes.

Fox finally hit a sweet spot in the communications and could hear Pepper barking out orders like a mad man. "Pepper! It's Star Fox. Come in. Fox here."

"Fox!" Pepper sounded relieved. "We don't know what happened. They appeared out of nowhere. When they started attacking, they knocked down our main transmitters. We're on backups now."

Fox was dodging every shot the Venom soldiers were throwing at him. "How did they get through?"

"We're still figuring that out. It seems that they figured our routes and avoided them. What?" Fox could here another commander talking to Pepper. "Well get another squad out there. Bill isn't here for support."

"We'll drive them out, Pepper." Fox sounded confidant in his remark.

The line went blank and Fox could hear static voices. He cut the line and focused on the many fighters to take down. He took in a breath and flew into the battle.

"Got a couple of guys on me." Slippy croaked in.

Fox looked for Slippy's position. He saw two fighters chasing after Slippy and Slippy chasing after one fighter. Fox flew up and took out one of the ships and had to fly back around to line up with the other. The Venom fighter took a few shots at Slippy but narrowly missed as Slippy was forced to turn with the fighter he was chasing.

Peppy and Falco were flying high with another group of Cornerian soldiers. They each had a fighter to themselves, but those numbers were favoring the Venom ones as they took down the Cornerian pilots chasing after their comrades. When one was done, it found Falco's Arwing and flew behind him. It took a few shots, but missed Falco as he saw hm pop up.

"Some help here, Pep." Falco said.

"Got my hands full here." Peppy was following two fighters and was shooting his way at them.

"Relax there, blue boy."

Falco's eyes grew wide as he recognized that voice. He looked up and saw a pink ship come in and shoot down the Venom fighter following Falco.

"Thanks, Katt." Falco sounded a little disgruntled, but relieved.

"Anytime, sweetie." Katt flirted back. Falco had to hide a small red on his beak.

The fighting went on for what felt like hours, but it was only ten minutes when Star Fox got there. The numbers on both sides were going thin, but more to Venom as they were less of them when the battle started. The CDF was not the target of attention anymore, all the fighters put their attention on who could be the first one to get McCloud's head. It didn't work out for any of them.

The numbers were going down and Fox felt somewhat on edge, that someone was watching them from far away. It wasn't long before he looked out in the distance and saw what he was fearing, a Wolfen. Carelessly floating far from the battlefield. Fox's began to bear his fangs as he went straight to it.

Andrew watched as everything was going to plan. The ships they managed to finish were doing their job as he made sure to take names. He would present them to Andross when they would finally revive, to show him the people who died to bring him back. Andross would reward him with many wishes after he takes over Lylat. But for now, Andrew waited.

However, his wait was cut short as he could see an Arwing hurdling towards him at blazing speeds. His eyes almost bulged out and he avoided a near collision. The Arwing boomeranged around and Andrew tried to take off, but the Arwing shot one of his engines.

"No!" Andrew screamed. He scrambled the Arwings comms so he could say his piece to whoever it was. Turns out, it was Fox. "You dirty fox!"

Andrew's Wolfen tried to take off, but the engine was fried. He turned to the battlefield and moved forward, hoping he'd lose Fox's sight.

"Oikonny, stop this. You're already dead if you keep going." Fox said as he kept shooting his Wolfen.

"You can't stop me. You'll all perish at the feet of my uncle!" Oikonny was dodging Fox's shots as well as the other Cornerian pilots he came across. Fox was doing his best but started to lose Oikonny in the many remaining Venom pilots. For some reason, there were still a lot left. Falco, Peppy, and Katt came down from the higher fight to help out here.

Fox was being tailed by another Venom fighter. Fox abandoned his hunt and dealt with the lone fighter. It was doing its best to keep up with Fox, no matter what maneuvers he tried to pull off.

"Little help here, guys." Fox called out.

"I'm full here," Slippy replied.

"Peppy and I are still taking down these guys." Falco chimed in.

Fox was trying to get him off, but Fox saw that it was shot down. He looked around to see who helped him and was thrown off as he saw another Wolfen fly above him. Fox stopped and turned his Arwing around. He knew exactly who it was. Fox gritted his teeth and decided to end all of this hear and now.

Fox was able to scramble his way into the Wolfen's comms and present himself. "Wolf!"

Wolf didn't listen. He was following Oikonny. They had to be the masterminds behind this. Fox lined himself, but heard a Cornerian soldier in need of some assistance.

"Pitbull 3-2 here. Need some help!" Fox saw the one tailing him. The soldier's ship was taking massive damage as Fox saw it pass him. Fox also saw Wolf turning as the Cornerian ship flew past him. Fox thought that was a low blow for Wolf.

He flew over to them and aligned himself to Wolf, but he saw Wolf taking a shot at the Venom fighter, before ultimately destroying it and flying up and found another Venom ship to destroy. Fox was very much confused at the whole turn of events, until Wolf pinged in.

"I'm not doing this out of the good of my heart, McCloud." Wolf was looking around frantically.

"Then why turn on your own men?" Fox asked as he saw Wolf go around.

"I'm not with them. I want Oikonny dead for all I care. Where is he?"

Fox was so confused right now. "You're not with him?"

"No! Someone else is." Wolf finally found his target and chased after Oikonny.

Fox didn't want to get in the way and turned around to see the remaining Venom fighters were being picked off one after the other. Fox was sure that Corneria City was alright. It didn't look like they targeted the residential areas, that alone would be catastrophic.

"You're done, Oikonny." Fox heard Wolf over the comm. "I'll make it quick."

However, Fox couldn't hear what Oikonny was saying through his line as Wolf made their channel private.

"The plan is already set. Now, leave me alone or Uncle Andross will hunt you to the edge of the universe." Oikonny screamed back.

"There's nowhere for you to go. Now be a good little ape and die already!" Wolf tried firing, but Oikonny missed.

"It's too late. He's already there."

"Who?"

"You didn't take his offer. I did. And it's all going according to my plan."

Wolf realized who he was talking about. The gaze over his one eye was cut short as a Cornerian pilot came behind Wolf and started firing. Wolf has to break left away from the pilot as Fox started to chase Oikonny.

"Give it up, Oikonny. You're done for." Fox started shooting at Oikonny's Wolfen. Fox could tell that Oikonny couldn't hear him.

Oikonny pulled up and saw the remaining fighters that were left. There could be no more than ten of them. They were getting picked off, but the mission was a success in his eyes. The casualties will amount to everything once they pull this off.

The last remaining ships were exploiting one o after the other. Fox could see Oikonny flying up the side of the CDF tower. He did a somersault and lined himself up to the general's office.

Fox turned around to stop Oikonny from doing what he was about to do. Finally Fox was able to break through their comms and yell out to him.

"Don't you dare do it, Oikonny!" Fox was blasting to his location at high speeds.

"You'll all be dead at the hands of my uncle. The glorious Andro-" Oikonny's feed was cut as his ship exploded.

Fox stopped where he was and saw Oikonny's Wolfen falling into pieces. In the smoke, Wolf popped out and soared over Fox.

"Kid. I ain't got anytime." Wolf said as he was still being chased by Cornerian pilots. "Someone from the CDF is working with Oikonny. Think about it."

It was the last thing Wolf told him as he took off into the sky. With Oikonny gone, the Venom assault had ended. The Arwing converged to one point as Fox tried to process what Wolf said.

"Fox, everything okay." Peppy voice came through.

Fox was thinking hard on who could turn their backs on the CDF, but also his head was throbbing. Fox put his hand to his head and felt the pulse through his temple. It felt like someone was stabbing his head.

"Fox. Are you okay?" Peppy could see through the live feed that Fox was holding his head.

Fox screamed as he placed both his hands and felt his head pulsing. It felt like someone was trying to penetrate his mind. He shut his eyes from the pain.

"Fox!" Slippy yelled. "Talk to us!"

Fox opened his eyes. His teammate saw the feed and were thrown off at what they saw. Instead of Fox's emerald eyes, they were met with ocean blue ones. Fox felt like he was spinning in circles, but he could hear a faint voice in the distance.

_Fox!_

It took him a few moments to realize who was calling him.

"Krystal?"

_Fox! They're everywhere! If you're hearing this, Sauria is under attack! Please hurry!_

Fox was breathing heavily as his eyes reverted back to his normal green. "They set us up."

"What happened, Fox?" Falco demanded.

"They're attacking Sauria. It was a diversion. We need to get back there! Now!"

Fox began flying back up as he received a message from General Pepper. "Fox! Sauria is…"

"Under attack. I know." Fox cut the hound off.

"How did you…" Pepper was surprised that he knew before he told him.

"Not important. We're headed out now!" Fox cut the line and the others began following him.

"I'm going too." Fox heard Katt come through their line. Fox didn't care, the more guns they, the better their chances were at ridding Sauria of Venom forces.

The Great Fox was still hovering as all five ships began to fly in. Star Fox has their usual catapults to be situated on, but the Kattillac was a different story. As Fox and his team finished docking, he jumped down and gave an order.

"Tie her ship down with the harnesses. Once we're out of Corneria's orbit, we're headed straight for Sauria." Fox bolted for the emergency stairs as Slippy, Falco, and Katt began to tie down the Kattillac.

Fox booked it down the hallway and barged into the deck. He surveyed the room and found ROB at the main console.

"ROB!" The gold robot turned to Fox. "Get that map to Sauria back up. We need to get back there now!"

ROB went to the console and retrieved the "jettison" map. "The Great Fox will suffer heavy damage from the previous jettison. Are you sure you want to continue?"

Fox thought it over, but slapped himself because there was no thinking over. Sauria was under attack and Fox feared that his worst enemy could possibly be alive. He had to risk it, for Lylat's safety. "We got no other choice. Do it."

ROB plotted the course as the other four came bursting into the deck. Fox explained what's going to happen and they all had a worried look gloss over them.

"It's the only way to get back to Sauria. We have to do this." Fox said.

"Course is set." ROB announced.

Fox turned back to the four and they all looked at each other with scared looks. This was Andross they were talking about, the mad ape that threw Lylat into war for five years. They weren't going to let that happen. They all agreed to that risk.

"Buckle up. It's going to get bumpy." Fox told them as he fastened his seatbelt.

Katt took the empty chair in front of Falco and stared back at him with longing eyes. Falco looked away as he fastened himself in. The Great Fox broke into the void of space and Fox turned to ROB without any thought over.

"Hit it, ROB!"

ROB gave a salute and slammed the override for the second time today. The Great Fox was engulfed in darkness as it began to shift in the direction of Sauria. The ship began to shake as the engines powered up. A few seconds later, everyone was thrown back into their seats as they were jettisoned to Sauria.

The Great Fox sounded like it was breaking apart. Fox thigh he heard metal scraping against each other. Through the noise, he heard ROB's voice.

"Estimated time: 9 minutes."

_Krystal. If you can hear me, we're coming._

* * *

A/N: Was forced to sleep in a hotel because my house's vents are being cleaned. Was just for overnight and currently back in my bed. But why are hotel pillows so soft?

Until then, Stabby out.


	21. Chapter XXI

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter XXI

It felt like the longest nine minutes of Fox's life.

Many different scenarios began to play out in his mind.

How were the able to break through with constant surveillance on Sauria? What did Wolf mean when he said someone was working with Oikonny? Was it someone right under their noses, or was it some obscure or disgruntled employee who wanted to get back, but not to this extent.

Either way, they had to stop whoever it was. That much was very clear.

"G-Diffusers running at 8%. Beginning slingshot around Fortuna." ROB's voice echoed in the loud ambience.

The Great Fox was straining under the speed that was propelled onto it as it began it began the slingshot. It was obvious it wasn't ready to handle two jettisons back to back. Fox feared the ship would break on them before they could reach Sauria. Fox felt himself being pushed to the right, holding on to his armrests as he tried to stay upright, and the other members were having a hard time trying the same thing.

The last time they rocketed off to Sauria, Fox did it without a moment's hesitation. Star Wolf was in the area, and he was going to take them down, no matter what it was they were doing. His other teammates somehow managed to stay alive during the first time. Fox felt himself slowly moving back upright as the Great Fox began to slow down.

Fox, once again, prepared for the inevitable whiplash as the Great Fox came to a stop. His head jolted back into the headrest and thankfully didn't receive any. The other four with him all groaned as they were also thrown back into their chairs. They all looked out to see the gleaming blue-green planet as the internal lights came back on.

Not much seemed to be happening from space, but Fox was sure all that was going to change was they saw the damage that was happening. Now was not the time to daydream but the what if. All Fox was focused on was stopping the entire event from proceeding as Oikonny intended. But now that he was dead, it was stopping whoever was leading the charge here and getting answers.

Fox stood up slowly, his legs were shaking from the experience, again. He probably thought he'd be used to it, but he was shaking not from this, but from the thought that his arch nemesis could possibly be back. He violently shook his head from that and took in his surroundings. The Great Fox still looked in perfect condition. Maybe all those sounds he was hearing was just in his head.

"ROB." Fox said through pants. "Get the Arwings ready."

ROB began to restart the Great Fox's database and powered up the Arwings. Fox ran out of the deck as the other four were barley getting out of their seats.

"Remind me to never fly with you guys again," Katt said as she grabbed her head.

"Put it in the complaint box when we get one." Falco got up and stretched his legs.

Katt let out a small chuckle, trying to hide it from Falco, but he noticed. He gave a good look at her before his mind told him they had more pressing matters to attend to. Peppy was having a hard time trying to hold himself up. Not that it was difficult the first time, it's just twice in the same day did cause some discomfort for the old hare. He didn't let this slow him down as he was the second one out the deck.

Slippy, Falco, and Katt followed. They raced down the emergency stairs, sometimes jumping down a couple of steps so they'd get to the hangar faster. Once there, they could see Fox on the Kattillac. He was removing the straps that were tied down on Katt's ship so she could get a head start, plus she was blocking the Arwing's launch path.

Falco and Katt rushed to Katt's ship and helped Fox in removing the straps. Slippy and Peppy manually went to their Arwings as well as Fox's and Falco's to ensure they'd be ready to fly.

"Katt, go out first to see what's happening." Fox said. "Falco, make sure her comms are synced with ours."

Fox jumped down when the remaining straps were pulled. Falco went into Katt's ship to make sure her line to Star Fox's didn't have any interruptions. Fox rushed up the second floor and jumped in his Arwing. He saw that Slippy already set everything up, but Fox did some minor adjustments to suit his needs. The Great Fox was slowly making its way down into Sauria's orbit.

The nose was accumulating heat as it broke into the atmosphere. Everyone inside was holding on as the Great Fox began shaking. Once it stopped, the Great Fox leveled itself and gave the team the all clear. Falco emerged from the Kattillac and gave Fox a thumbs up.

"Katt. You read me?" Fox said on the frequency.

"Loud and clear, captain," she replied in her usual seductive tone. "Send me the coordinates so I can see what's ahead."

Fox quickly sent her the location of the temple and Katt's ship slowly began powering up. The doors to the hangar opened and Katt rose in the hangar and flew before Star Fox. Falco quickly made his way up to the second floor and dropped into his Arwing.

"Guys. You better get down here." Katt radioed in.

Fox's eyes grew. "What's happening?"

"It's mostly ground troops on both sides, very little air support. How many are in the camp?"

Fox flipped some switches as his Arwing gave a green light. "About thirty to forty soldiers."

"It looks like their being outmatched three to one. They also have two tanks out there. They're mostly fighting near the temple."

Near the temple? Then they're going all-out for their assault. Fox knew they had to stop this, even if the temple was destroyed in the process. It would ensure that Lylat would never experience Andross' terror again.

"Everyone good?" Fox asked his team.

"We're all good, Fox!" Slippy screamed.

"Yeah, let's go!" Falco chimed in.

"We've got your back, Fox." Peppy said.

Fox closed his eyes and let out a shaky sigh. He opened them with one set goal.

"ROB, launch us!"

The Arwings took their turn being launched from left to right. Slippy was the first, then Falco, Fox, and Peppy. Once they were flying, they quickly turned around and made their way to the temple. Fox went to the apex as they flew in a finger-four formation. They flew blindly in the clouds for a few seconds before lowering.

Once they were clear, and wiped the accumulating water off the windshield, Fox was able to see the scenario unfolding below him. Walled City didn't seem to suffer from the attacks, but that wasn't their target. The temple was still standing, but most of the Cornerina soldiers were near the steps, barricading anyone who dared step closer.

Fox radioed down for someone to answer. "Cornerian Base, this is Star Fox coming in for assistance. Repeat, this is Fox McCloud."

Fox flipped his comm switch and waited for a response. He didn't wait long until he heard Bill on the other end. "Fox! Thank god, you came back!"

Bill was on the ground with all of Husky team. They had rifles in hand and were shooting at any hostile that came near the temple. His Bulldog squad was in the skies and Fox could see them taking down a couple of ships.

"Bill, what happened?" Fox asked as his team broke formation and went to find targets.

"We don't know. Fetcher and I were talking when we heard explosions in the distance. He ordered was to check it and we just found this!"

Fox looked out his window and saw Bill and Husky squad with all the soldiers from the Cornerian camp. He also saw a small blue figure in a white jacket running and taking aim with a gold rod.

Krystal was making sure none of the Venom forces moved a single inch from where they were standing. When one would get close, she made sure the incapacitate them, by any means. Her ears perked as she felt a familiar presence approaching fast. She looked up and saw the Arwings fly over them.

_He heard me._ Krystal wasn't sure if her abilities would stretch that far. But the camp was scrambling to leave and defend the temple, that she had to try and reach out. It hurt like hell afterwards, but if it meant reaching out and contacting him faster than their radios could, she had to do it. She was lucky it paid off, or maybe they heard it from someone else.

Either way, they were here to protect the temple. Krystal did her part in not letting anyone get past her while Fox and crew were taking care of the few ships flying around.

"Once we're done here, we need to get on the ground." Fox said. "We're still going to need some flyers up here. Peppy and Katt, you'll stay up here. Falco and Slippy, you'll go down with me when we clear the skies. Everyone copy?"

"Copy." All the pilots said in unison.

Fox broke off from the formation and started to go at the limited targets in the air. It didn't seem like they were putting up a fight. They were doing their best to dodge Fox's shots, but Fox would find it difficult to actually put them down. Fox was beginning to wonder if they were deliberately keeping him in the air. He looked around and saw that his team was having the same troubles. Even Bill's Bulldog squad was not having the same results.

"Fox!" Bill radioed. "We're getting a little overrun here. We've got some casualties, but no KIAs. My Husky team is doing the best on the ground."

"Hang tight there, Bill." Fox called back. "Once I'm done here, we'll go down." Fox looked out his window and saw the tanks beginning to fire at the temple.

A large explosion hit the left side and chunks of debris fell with loud thuds. Some soldiers fixed there had to jump from their station to avoid getting hit. A couple of them got caught with some bricks and one got his foot caught under some rubble.

"Bill, where's Fetcher?"

"He's still back at the camp." Bill said through the mayhem. "I've tried to radio him for another… damn it!" Another explosion from the tank blew near Bill's location.

Krystal took down about three Venom soldiers when she was nearly hit by a cannon blast. She flew back a few feet and hit the ground hard. Her face scrunched with the hit and rolled on the ground for a little. She picked herself up and could see everything happening in slow motion.

She could hear her breathing and the sounds of rifles firing sounded liked muzzled pops. She shook her head and placed a hand up to her forehead. She didn't feel anything strange, but she removed her hand and saw a little speck of blood on her fingers.

She picked herself up and was still feeling disoriented from the blast. It didn't stop her from doing her part in stopping the Venom soldiers. Although, she was moving slower than before.

The tanks were moving up the line in a threatening manner. Avery, Hutch, and Solomon were watching from behind the lines, far from the last tank that was creeping from the tree line.

"There's no way Corneria will come up this fast," Solomon said. "Even with Star Fox, I think we'll be able to push on through."

Avery, however, was looking around for any sign of their hooded friend. "Dude, where the hell is he? He was supposed to be here by now."

Solomon could see that Avery was looking a little anxious. "Do you think they captured him?"

"It could be. We also haven't heard from Oikonny, either. You don't think they got him?" Avery pointed to the Arwings flying above them.

"Possibly." Solomon said blankly.

"We should just rush with what we have." Hutch suggested. "Crush them with all we got!"

"We could." Solomon agreed. "It'd cripple them so much faster."

Avery thought about rushing with all that they had. It would be easy to squash the remaining soldiers that Corneria had. Though, Avery was hesitant. He didn't know if Conreia was actually going to bring new forces to the fight. If so, then they'd get crushed in a split second.

There was no sign of their friend for miles. Through the chaos, Avery was put in charge to lead the barrage o the old temple. The EarthWalkers would rotate their morning shifts so the window was very slim to go and attack the temple.

"Let's hold off on that." Avery said after thinking it over. "If we just attack, there's a small chance that Corneria will have an opportunity to surprise us."

"Man, you can't be serious." Hutch sounded peeved.

"I am. Hoodie said to just keep them occupied. Also, he needs McCloud on the ground. Which is why we don't have any aerial. Just keep the forces on the ground and we'll be fine."

Hutch and Solomon looked at each other and rolled their eyes. If the attack doesn't go as planned, then this would all be their new friend's fault.

"Keep up the firing guys," Fox said. "We don't have that much left."

Fox was taking down the last of the Venom forces. Falco and Katt were in their own little section taking down fighters one by one. Slippy and Peppy were also in their own area. Slippy was having a tough time trying to shoot down some of them, luckily Peppy was there to bail him out of his current situation.

Fox looked down and saw that the tanks were slowly moving, but not going full assault mode. Their run to Corneria and Sauria was so quick they weren't able to equip the right bombs to destroy the tanks. He looked down and could still see Krystal doing her part as well as the Cornerian camp.

Fox looked around for other targets, but couldn't find any. "Anyone seeing more targets?"

"I think we got them all." Peppy said.

"We ain't seeing anything over here." Falco shouted.

Fox saw that everything in the sky was gone. He didn't want everyone rushing down on the ground, so he went to his original plan. "Alright. Falco and Slippy, we'll go on the ground and help with the Cornerian camp. Peppy and Katt, stay up here with Bulldog to suppress any more bogies. Copy?"

"Copy!" Everyone screamed. Fox u-turned and flew in the direction of the temple with Falco and Slippy close behind.

"How we doing this, Fox?" Falco looked down and could see that there was no landing strip for them to use. The camp was a good three-minute run from the temple.

"We jump out." Fox blatantly said.

"I'm sorry. What?" Falco said in disbelief.

"Fox, you can't be serious." Slippy said.

"I'm serious." Fox lowered his altitude slowly. "Get a good running start and get low, make a break on the Arwings before putting in auto to the Great Fox. Shoot yourselves out and hope for the best."

"Fox, you're crazy." He heard Peppy call out.

"Gotta do whatever it takes." Fox wasn't going to go soft on this. He would go full guns blazing if it meant stopping Andross from coming back.

Fox went around and flew over Walled City. He could see the camp was nearly destroyed, only a few tents stood up and the city looked to be in good condition. The EarthWalkers inside the walls looked terrified and were hoping for the best. Fox would make sure it would be that way.

Once he flew over the palace, he got a straight shot on the path leading to the temple. He took a small nosedive and grazed the top of the palace spire. He descended quickly and was nearly kissing the ground. The Arwing's wings just fit inside the trees. He steadied the Arwing as he began punching the codes for autopilot.

The closer he got, the more sweat leaked out of his pores. He wasn't sure if he'd survive this. He though of it on the spot. There was no way they'd make it from the camp to the temple, so he had to improvise. He unbuckled his harness and hovered above his seat. His palms were getting damp by the second and his arms were shaking.

"Here goes nothing!" Fox shouted.

Once he was a good distance to the temple, he opened the canopy. He slammed on the brakes while simultaneously hitting the autopilot. Fox closed his eyes as he jumped out of his Arwing. He prepared for the broken bones and severe lacerations caused by sticks laying on the ground. It wasn't his best plan, but he was going to make it work.

He didn't feel any ground beneath him, so he may have been flung a few good feet. Fox decided to lessen any injuries to him by curling into a ball of some sort. He did his best curl he could and brought his legs all the way to his chest. He leaned forward so his back would hit first. Or should it be his behind?

It didn't matter as he hit the ground with a loud thud. He rolled for a bit and Fox felt his brain being rattled in his skull. Once he felt the ground under his feet after the fourth roll, he extended his legs and jumped up. He was able to start running and could see everything in front of him, although he was dizzy from the rolling.

He saw a blue dot coming closer as he was running, and he saw a brown dot getting extremely close to that blue dot. He recognized the blue dot, but not the brown dot. He didn't hold back and was ready to unleash a wallop of a punch. The brown dot looked to his right, but was a tad bit late. Fox did a wind up and didn't miss as his fist connected to the jaw of the Venom solider.

The blue dot heard the raw sound of flesh being violently slapped and quickly turned around with staff at the ready. She got in a stance but stopped herself as she was in shock at what she was seeing. Fox looked back and saw the blue dot more prominently.

Krystal got out of her stance and wanted to wrap her arms around Fox, but couldn't as they were in the middle of a battlefield. She could sense that Fox wanted to do the same thing. Another cannon blast blew off a chunk of the high right corner of the temple. The debris flew in the air and both Fox and Krystal had to jump to not get hit.

Fox saw two more Arwings trying to recreate what he just did a few seconds ago. Falco was the first to attempt, but looked down and saw the mayhem and opted to fly back for another run. Slippy did the same, waiting for the window to open wider.

"I think you came back in time," Krystal said.

Fox took out his blaster and Krystal readied herself with her staff. They stood back to back took their shots at the waning Venom soldiers.

"I heard your message. Of course I had to come back." Fox said as he lined up another shot.

Krystal had to hold herself up as Fox said he heard her. _He… He did hear me_.

Fox saw Falco and Slippy coming for another run. This time, they were able to jump out of their Arwings and their ships flew straight up to the Great Fox. Falco and Slippy began to roll on the ground in the same manner as Fox did.

Fox started to make his way to them, avoiding getting hit with lasers coming from both sides. Krystal decided to help him and followed Fox. Falco and Slippy were taking their time in standing, but Fox and Krystal were there to help them. Fox went to Falco and Krystal went to Slippy.

"I'm filing for worker's comp after we're done here," Falco strained.

"I'll wire it from Pepper's check." Fox was able to get Falco on his feet. "How you doing, Slip?"

Slippy stood on his back, Krystal was getting him back on his feet. "Same here," he said as he reached for his back.

Lasers began to fire at their position and Fox was quick on his blaster to suppress them until the were clear. Falco reached for his and got some shots in where the Venom soldiers were stacked. Slippy reached behind his back, where his holster was, and brought out his blaster. They all made a b-line for the front line at the temple's stairs.

Bill was commanding everything from where he was. He could see Fox and co. coming up and dealing some good damage to Venom's front line.

"Fox!" Bill said as Fox made it to him.

"What's happening?" Fox said as he ducked behind the barriers. "I thought Fetcher had the planet under surveillance."

Another shot flew over them and Bill and Fox were quick to shoot up and fire at whoever was shooting them.

"They must have found a weak spot. I don't know how they passed our security. Fetcher is back at base trying to call up Corneria, but we haven't received any commands from him since that time." Bill started to hound orders to his Husky squad on the ground.

The remaining Corneria soldiers were holding the best they could until another cannon was blasted at where they were. The cloud of smoke rose before revealing a scattered pile what remained of those soldiers. Fox took another shot at some Venom forces, but the tanks began firing at a abnormal pace.

"Keep firing at them, but don't kill McCloud." Avery commanded.

"His on the ground. Now what?" Hutch was wondering what Avery's next move was.

"Hold on, I'm thinking." Avery leaned on a tree.

He heard rustling approaching him fast. Avery turned around and could see the hooded coming up to them.

"About damn time. What the hell were you doing?" Avery was pissed off.

"Biding my time. Seeing that he is here, we will move forward with the plan." The hooded held Andross' brain securely under his arm.

"We don't know where Oikonny is though." Solomon interjected. "Won't he be upset if we continue without him?"

The hooded rolled his eyes. "We don't have time to wait for him. The time to strike is now." He motioned for them to follow him behind the trees. All three followed close and he gave a stop sign to them. "I'll go in first. I need you three to go a few seconds after. Once McCloud is inside, take a group of men and flank on the left side."

The three looked and could see that the left side was left open. If they squeezed by, they could fire on the unsuspecting Cornerians.

"Our tanks will do the rest. Are you ready? There'll be no turning back from this point on." The hooded looked at the three to understand the position they were in.

Avery, Solomon, and Hutch gave each other a look and back to the hooded with a nod. The hooded grinned under his mask and turned his attention to the fight in front of him. He lowered the bushes to get a running start. He brought up his fingers and started to count down from three… two… one.

The hooded bolted to the left side of the Cornerian barrier. Avery, Solomon, and Hutch went back to the tank and called for three other soldiers to follow their lead. The Cornerian soldiers were to occupy with the fighting in front that the hooded was able to slip in without detection, or so he thought.

Krystal's ears perked as she felt something hostile approaching from behind her. She sensed an intense hate for all things around it and wished them to be destroyed. She turned around and could see a large black figure running, undetected, towards the entrance of the temple. Krystal also saw something in his arms, an orb with purple liquid, and a brain.

Krystal got her staff and shot at the hooded figure. The hooded looked her way and didn't take a second to run for the temple's opening. Krystal didn't want any taint to be within the sacred grounds, so she began to follow him.

Fox was ducked when he saw Krystal run into the temple. "Krystal!"

More debris was falling as another cannon blasted bits of the archway away, destroying the stain glass. Fox didn't waste a second and followed Krystal inside the temple, giving Avery the signal to follow the hooded's path. Fox was entering the temple as the archway began to cave. Bricks were falling as another cannon blast fired on the archway. The bricks were falling and Fox had to jump in.

Avery, Solomon, and Hutch, along with three other Venom soldiers followed the hooded's path and were almost ignored by the Cornerian soldier's until they were spotted by Falco.

"Breach!" He yelled as he, Bill, and Slippy turned their attention to them.

The fire show started as one of the Venom soldiers immediately went down. Avery, Solomon, and Hutch weren't slowing down. They continued to move in slowly as both they and the Venom line were firing all around them. One tank took another shot at the archway and it finally began collapsing.

"Go!" Avery yelled and ran to the opening.

Solomon and Hutch were able to squeeze in, along with another Venom soldier, but the fifth one was crushed by the falling debris.

"We gotta catch up!" Solomon said as they picked themselves up.

Falco ran to the debris. The bricks were heavy and the concrete slabs on either side blocked their path. Fox and Krystal were now trapped inside, possibly outnumbered. But Falco knowing Fox, he'd make sure the even or turn the odds in his favor.

Krystal was firing all that she had at the hooded figure. He was evasive and fast, she gave it some credit. Fox was doing his best to keep up, but Krystal was lighter and more agile than Fox, so she would probably outrun him, even if he was in his prime. Fox didn't know, but they were being tailed by four of the hooded's lackeys.

Finally, after it felt like they were all running for millenniums, the hooded reached the altar. He made his way behind as Krystal had her staff ready for the shot. Fox was soon behind her and stood next to her with blaster ready, as well. The hooded, with Andross under arm, was quick to pull his blaster.

"Don't even think about it, McCloud." The hooded said.

Fox and Krystal heard footsteps approaching them, hoping to be backup. Their hopes were crushed as they could see four troop surrounding them, rifles at the ready. Avery had his sights on Fox's head, but he kept a close eye on the vixen next to him.

Fox could see the item the hooded was holding more clearly. He knees buckled as he remembered that brain. Krystal took a quick glance at Fox and it looked like he was about to faint.

"Please," the hooded pulled his blaster up. Fox could see clearly that it was a CDF issued blaster. "Let's be civil about this."

The hooded placed his blaster on the altar and took off his mask; he had a wide smile across his face. Fox and Krystal stood there as they saw who it was who had Andross in his arms. Fox could only stand there in disbelief.

"Colonel Fetcher?"

* * *

A/N: *insert dramatic chipmunk meme here*

Things aren't as they seem.

Until then, Stabby out.


	22. Chapter XXII

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter XXII

Fox didn't want to believe what he was seeing.

"Surprise, surprise." Fetcher said in a mocking tone.

The rottweiler's grin grew wider as he looked at both Fox and Krystal. Fox had the blaster aiming right at Fetcher's head, but the other soldiers around him were doing the same. Krystal took in the room. She looked at the large brown ape that would surely be a problem for any chance of a takedown. The black salamander and gold lab all had imposing weapons capable of multi-firing.

There were more muffled explosions happening behind them. Krystal wondered why no one was coming to help them. So she decided to talk to Fox.

_Fox. Isn't there anyone else coming for us?_

Fox heard her voice in his mind and thought of words to talk back to her.

_We're blocked in. Their tanks blasted the archway and caved in. I'll think of something._

Krystal kept her grip on her staff. She took a look at the glass orb that Fetcher was holding. A large brain swimming in purple liquid. _Fox. What is that?_

Fox couldn't take his eyes off of the orb once he saw it. Fox could feel the brain was staring back at him. Krystal took a small glimpse at Fox and saw that he was shaking slightly and breathing heavily. _I know. But I don't want to believe it._

"Why?" Fox asked.

"'For the greater good of Corneria, of course'. God, Pepper's words are so cliché if you think about it. He's nowhere original when it comes to making a great general for himself." Fetcher carefully placed the orb on the altar.

"Pepper really irks me. Thinking about how Corneria was at peace even after Andross." Fetcher placed his hands on the altar and leaned on it. "Do you know how far behind they were compared to Andross' technology? And Pepper went ahead and banished him."

"Because Andross killed innocent civilians with his experiments," Fox butted in. "He deserved what he got, and I'm not going to allow that to happen again."

Fox began to take aim at Fetcher. The other Venom soldiers drew their weapons back at Fox. Fox took a look at the others inside, he could try and risk it and kill Fetcher and that would be the end of the story. However, he hesitated for the blue vixen to his right.

Krystal did have a right to be here. During her times watching the temple, Krystal's attachment to the mystical place gave her a charm that the rest of Sauria didn't offer. She would defend this place with her life, and she was willing to place it here, but Fox didn't want it to come to that.

"Hold your horses there, McCloud." Fetcher put his hand up. "I don't want you to die, yet. I need you for something very spectacular."

"Why are you doing this?" Fox raised his voice.

"You really want to know?" Fetcher's brow rose.

Fox kept his face straight.

"Fine." Fetcher sighed. "You'll be dead in a few so time to come clean. These past years of serving in Corneria have felt like it was missing something. I was following orders instead of giving them. That's when it clicked. I deserved to be general. I would've reformed the CDF into Lylat's most imposing military force."

Avery, Solomon, and Hutch were standing with their weapons drawn at Fox and Krystal. They were listening to the words that their new friend, who finally revealed himself to them. This was all new to them, so they lent an ear to see where he was going with this.

"Who would've guessed," Solomon leaned to Avery.

"My money is on the phrase, 'it was stolen from me.'" Avery joked.

Solomon gave a chuckle and though for a second. "How much?"

Avery closed his mouth and thought of an amount. "300?"

"250." Solomon negotiated.

"Fine." Avery bumped elbows with Solomon to seal their bet, then they turned their attention back to Fetcher, he took out a tactical knife form his leg holster and started to twirl it in his hand.

"Then why come to Sauria if you were only going to defect?" Krystal finally spoke up.

Fetcher stopped twirling his knife and took a long look at Krystal. He studied her intensely and Krystal could feel that he was staring at a couple of spots for a little longer than comfort. She started to feel a little on edge and backed up a little. Fetcher closed his eyes and let out a small sigh.

"That position was mine. I was the next in line for general. A couple of us pushed for his early retirement, but the board wouldn't allow it. It was mine for the taking, and I got relegated to colonel."

"You owe me 300." Avery whispered to Solomon.

"He didn't even say it." Solomon was not about to chalk up 300 credits for a half of an explanation.

"He paraphrased. Still counts." Avery said, expecting those 300 to be available to him later.

"What're you guys talking about?" Hutch finally leaned into their conversation.

Fox kept looking at the glass orb that was on the altar. He knew who was in there, he just didn't want to think about it. Again, it felt like the brain was staring back at him, as if it was recognizing Fox. Now he was starting to feel a little on edge.

"You like him. A nice little holder until the time was right. Our glorious emperor will be reborn from the blood of our enemies." Fetcher picked Andross' brain and presented it to Fox and Krystal. "Literally, from the blood of our enemies."

"I still don't understand why defect to him. You could've been a scum on your own. Start your own militia, but why him?" Fox didn't understand why Fetcher would side with Andross.

"His world." Fetcher gently placed Andross down. "He was building a glorious empire. One where we would live under the rule of one governing body. There is no need for a democracy. Politicians can go fuck themselves for all I care. The choice of the assembly is very delicate. Say one thing, you get them as your enemy. You don't want enemies in the state, McCloud."

"You are wrong. Nothing good will come from an all-seeing body. I've lived under the rule of a tyrant. I wished I could've joined in those fights against him." Krystal knew to well what living under the rule of an oppressive figure.

"Because you're a warrior. I get why you believe that, much like how I believed in Andross' world. One that I could vision without the clout of Corneria's 'stand together' bullshit. I was too late to see it. His power was unmatched, and I should have been with him all the way. But now, I have for him a new army, and I will show Corneria why I am fit for general."

Fetcher stabbed the knife on the altar and released it. "But enough of all this. Are you ready to start?" Fetcher snapped his fingers and looked at the four next behind Fox and Krystal. "Avery, Solomon, Hutch. Let's begin."

The three and the extra soldier started to approach behind them slowly. Fox felt that if they did any sudden movements, they'd be shot up on the spot. Fetcher also brought up his blaster and aimed it at Fox.

"Drop them." Fetcher ordered. "Drop your weapons."

Fox kept his grip on his blaster tight. Fetcher could feel that Fox wasn't cooperating, so in order to get him in line, he shot his arm. Fox felt the heat instantly wash over his arm. It felt like it was on fire. He cried out and dropped his blaster. Krystal was quick to jump, but Fetcher moved his barrel to Krystal.

"Move, and I'll fry your boyfriend on the spot."

Krystal stopped where she was. Her staff was visibly shaking involuntary because she was. She looked down and saw Fox clutching his left arm. She saw a trail of blood coming out and slowly creeping its way down his arm. Fetcher snapped his hands and the three began the first step.

Avery and Solomon began to approach Krystal. She wasn't quick enough and had her staff ripped out of her by Avery. She turned around and was met with a massive punch from Solomon. She fell hard and laid there for a short while.

"Krystal!"

Fox tried to get up but was met with a huge blow from Hutch. He groaned as he felt himself being lifted by his scruff. Krystal started to pick herself but soon felt her being lifted by her scruff as well. They were both slammed on the altar. Fox felt Hutch outstretch his left arm while Krystal's right arm was stretched by Avery.

"I never planned on you being here," Fetcher pointed to Krystal, "but the show must go on. Even with extras popping in and out."

Fetcher grabbed the knife and pulled out of the altar.

"I'm assuming you met our little friend under here?" Fetcher pointed down with the knife.

"What? How did you…" Fox didn't finish as he was met with a knee from Hutch on his left side.

"It wasn't easy with blue girl here always in the library. And let me tell you, Dino is a real bitch to translate." Fetcher gyrated his head around while massaging his neck. "I know you came here after my turn. I prayed to whatever god was out there that he didn't rat me out."

Fox remembered the time they were here at the altar. When the found the barely living Krazoa. It mentioned that someone else was seeking the power. Fox thought it to be Andross, but now thinking it over, Andross could've run over Sauria for fun. It occurred that it had to be someone who was recently there.

"You were the one down there?" Fox finally connected the dots.

"Took you long enough." Fetcher looked down at the altar. "Hey! I know you can hear me down there! Thanks for not snitching!" Fetcher looked at the tod and vixen currently pinned down. "This is going to be fun. Are you ready to bring back Emperor Andross?"

Fox felt a shiver run through his body. Never had he wanted to hear that name ever again. Something that always haunted him from a young age to when he finally ended that suffering a few months ago, and now there was a small chance he could be back.

"'The three giving will make the two become one.' It took me a while to realize what he meant. Then it hit me, there is something that three can give. It runs through us." Fetcher got his knife and placed it in his palm. "It gives life and is the vessel of everything."

In one stroke, Fetcher cut his calm open. He muffled his scream as the blood trickled down his arm. He smeared his blood on the rocky formation of the altar. Fetcher nodded and Hutch and Avery got their knives out. Fox tried to wiggle out but was met with another knee by the Venom soldier. He felt the cold blade on his palm and a quick slice.

Krystal was also trying to escape Avery's hold, but Solomon kneed her so she could stay still. Krystal felt the sharp blade run through her palm and a stinging sensation envelop her arm. She screamed as her arm tensed and felt the air flowing into her cut palm. She felt the blade come back and was scrapping her palm, trying to get as much blood as possible.

Fox was breathing hard. He felt sick and wanted to pass out. He used all his strength to try and pick his head up. He turned to his right and saw Krystal.

_Krystal. _He hoped that she heard him.

_Fox. _She sounded weak.

_I'm sorry for this._

_Don't talk like that._

_I am._

_You can't give up, Fox. We can get out of this. Please._

"'And the one shall be reborn as the previous incarnation. The one willing will be raised and his vessel will be pure.' This is the part that got our friend here banished. They thought his method of reincarnation to be impure. A vessel must be cleansed of impurities for its new host." Fetcher took his knife and wiped it under his arm. "You know what that means."

Everyone was silent. Only the muffled sounds of battle could be heard. Fox wasn't sure what was happening outside. Did anyone know that he was in here? They had to have noticed by now. A good chunk of time had passed and yet, they didn't radio him for a position. He didn't even check if his comms were working in here. All Fox did was hope for the best outcome.

"A sacrifice must be made." Fetcher finally said.

Not the outcome Fox wanted.

"It's obvious that I don't want to do it. I want to serve my emperor with grace and stability. So, who want to volunteer?"

Neither Fox or Krystal spoke up. They didn't want to die for Andross to be reborn. Fox was now starting to think why the Krazoa deserved to be trapped underneath the altar.

"No one. That's a shame. Well then, I guess I'll have to pick one."

Fetcher brought his knife out and pointed it at Fox. "Eeny."

He moved his knife to Krystal "Meeny."

Fox knew he was going to be going back and forth and tried to get the counting ahead to see who he was going to pick.

"Miney. Moe. Catch. A _vixen_. By. _Her toe_. If. _She hollers. _Let. _Her go._ Eeny. Meeny. Miney…"

Fox caught up to the rhyme. He saw Fetcher's knife starting to point to Krystal and at that point, Fox yelled out.

"ALRIGHT! ME!"

Fetcher was about to point at Krystal and stopped when Fox yelled out. Krystal looked at Fox in disbelief. Fetcher began to form a grin similar to one that Andross would make. One that would haunt his dreams in between the Lylat Wars.

"I'm sorry, McCloud. I didn't catch that. What did you say?"

Fox could hear the taunt in his voice. He lowered his head.

"Me."

* * *

"Falco, we've dealt with the aerial units. How are things going on down there?"

Peppy made another bombing run on the tanks but it was no use. The armor was thick enough that nothing was penetrating. He flew up and met Katt as he ascended.

"We're not getting any work on those things, Peppy." Katt looked out and saw the tanks being scratched, but no indents or damage.

"Pep. Fox got trapped in with Venom forces. I've been trying to call him but his comms are bugging out." Falco was shooting the remaining Venom soldiers, but the tanks were the big problem.

Bill and his Husky forces were also giving their all on the tanks, to no avail. The tanks shot another round at the remaining cover for Corneria's troops, the rocks flew up and some were diving to not get hit by the falling debris. The other tank took a shot, but missed the top of the temple. The began to move closer, they were already emerging from the tree line and were halfway across the trail between the temple.

"Falco!" Slippy screamed out. "I'm going to need you to cover me!"

"Why?" He dodged an incoming laser and shot at the Venom who shot at him.

"Because, It's time for this." Slippy reached into his pouch and pulled out a clean, grey softball sized orb.

"Is it actually ready?" Falco knew that Slippy's invention was not working, according to Falco at least.

"Yes! Just give them all while I set it." Slippy began to push the top button and it turned white, indicating it was primed. "Ready?"

"Yeah, ready. Bill, we have to cover Slippy. Hit 'em with everything!" Falco shot up and began firing at anything that was coming across.

"Husky, return fire four at a time." Bill ordered. "Bulldog. Make bombing runs three at a time. Get them occupied while Slippy works."

The twelve soldiers on Husky took intervals of four standing up and shooting at the tanks and Venom soldiers before reloading and having another set of four taking over. Bulldog began to bomb runs in groups of three. Leaving a ten second gap before the second group would do their run.

Slippy held his orb tightly and ran to the large debris covering the temple's entrance. He set it down and had the capsule to where the opening would be facing the debris. Slippy set the timer for five seconds and pressed the top button. The white light began blinking rapidly, sending small alerts that the device was ready to go off.

"Everyone, brace yourselves!" Slippy tried to run to his spot, but realized that he wasn't going to make it. He dove and covered his hands over his head.

The device opened. A loud noise emerged of a vacuum taking in anything that was in front of it. The suction was strong that nearby tree branches were torn off and sucked into the orb. The compression filled inside as all the debris was encapsulated inside. The entrance was clear and the capsule shut tight. The light turned from white to green.

Slippy felt no suction from the orb and picked his head up. He turned around and saw the temple entrance free from debris. He smiled and quickly rushed to the orb. There was no weight added to it, as he designed, and he quickly set the button for a proper release. The light turned to blue and was ready.

"Take this!" Slippy yelled as he threw the orb in the direction of the tanks.

The orb blinked and finally opened up. There was a loud boom and all the debris, including the tree branches, were shot out a breakneck speed. The barrage lasted a few seconds, but it was enough to tear through the tanks. The scraping of metal by the rocks filled the air and the tanks were starting to fall apart.

"One more time, Bulldog!" Bill ordered.

The three groups of Bulldog made one last bombing run to destroy the tanks. With the damage from Slippy's invention, they dropped their remaining bombs and watched the tanks explode due to fuel leaking out. The tanks were no more and the Cornerian soldiers began cheering. Bulldog made another flyby to ensure the tanks were no longer functional.

Falco saw it time to enter the temple and find Fox. "Bill. We gotta find Fox. His comms aren't connecting!" Falco started to back into the entrance while still shooting at the any Venom soldiers trying to advance.

Slippy started to do the same and was next to Falco, both of them ducking as stray shots flew passed them. Bill started to back up and patted one of his Husky units shoulder's to tell him to take his spot.

"Husky A and B, you're with me." He called for his separate units. "C, you'll stay here and protect the front lines. Bulldog, you're taking orders from Peppy now. Copy?"

"Copy!" All his soldiers from Husky and Bulldog responded.

Four soldiers from A and B, each, began to back up into the temple. The remaining four from C stood at the front lines with the Cornerian base. As the threats began to die down, Falco, Slippy, Bill and Husky team began to search the temple for Fox.

* * *

Fetcher removed the knife pointed at Krystal and turned to Fox.

"My, my Fox. Trying to play the hero like always."

Fox growled at Fetcher, and all Fetcher did was grin wider and shook his head.

"You wouldn't risk your worthless life just for anyone now. I hardly doubt you'd do it with your own teammates, but with her." Fetcher took another look at Krystal. He began to study her form as she was pressed against the altar. "I'll be honest with you, you found yourself a real banger."

Krystal looked up at Fetcher after she heard that word. She started to growl as well. Fetcher looked at her and made a pout face. He started to make his way around the altar over to Krystal's side. Krystal tried to turn her head, but Avery kept his hand there, preventing her from turning. Fetcher placed two fingers on her shoulder and started to drag them up and down. Krystal closed her eyes and tried to wiggle her way from the grasp, but Solomon kept her still.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Fox wasn't thinking, he just shouted it out.

Fetcher almost jumped at being talked back to. He looked down at Krystal and back to Fox. "Aww Fox, have you grown to care for the vixen? Hmm?"

Fox eye's weren't looking at him. A small red was forming on him. Fetcher saw all that and it basically confirmed his speculation. "There's nothing to be ashamed of, Fox. She is quite the catch."

**SMACK**

Krystal's eyes went wide and she was taking in shallow breaths.

Fox saw where the slap landed, and never had he grown to hate the colonel even more than right now. Laying his hands on Krystal like that was the last straw for Fox.

"Ain't that right, boys?" Fetcher asked his henchmen.

Solomon and Avery looked at each other and decided to play along.

"You got that right, boss." Avery said.

"Can't complain with you." Solomon said.

"I say, once we're done having fun here." Fetcher pointed his knife at Fox. "We can have some fun here." He pointed his knife at Krystal.

Krystal could hear Avery and Solomon saying some vulgar things and even heard a wolf whistle from one of them. She started to breath more heavily and she thought she felt tears coming out from her eyes.

Fox tried with all his might to escape Hutch's hold, but found the ape throw another knee at him. Fox thought he heard a bone crack.

Fox yelled and fell on his knees. He tried to get up but was met with another knee. He fell forward and Hutch picked him back up.

"The Hero of Lylat everyone." Fetcher said as if he was presenting Fox. "Crumbling away because of his feeling for this blue vixen."

_Fox. _Krystal sounded terrified.

_Krystal. _Fox was now sounding weak. _I'm so, so sorry._

Krystal could feel her connection with Fox starting to get a little weak. It looked like Fox was about to pass out from the blows.

_Fox. Stay with me. _

Fox was breathing rhythmically. He eyes were getting heavier.

_Don't leave me._

"Hey!" Fetcher went over and slapped Fox across the face. "Don't you close your eyes on me!"

Fetcher grabbed Fox by the muzzle and lifted him up. He placed the knife on his neck.

"I've waited a long time to finally put you down. You're going to be one great host for Andross. You should feel honored."

Fox felt the knife begin to pierce. He couldn't yell out because his muzzle was held shut.

"Thank you for your service, Fox McCloud." Fetcher stared directly into Fox's eyes. "You are hereby disch-"

**BANG**

The shot echoed in the chamber for what felt like a minute. Everything felt like it stopped. Fox's muzzle was being released slowly and he saw Fetcher fall to the side, onto the altar. He lifeless eyes were now staring into the abyss.

Fox looked up to see who shot Fetcher, and he could see the outline of an avian holding a rifle.

"Fox! Get down!" Falco yelled out as he, Slippy and Bill came into the chamber.

Solomon and Avery released their hold and threw Krystal to the side. They went to their rifles and began to fire back. Hutch tried to hold onto Fox while shooting back but found it difficult as Fox was now kicking him in the shin.

Bill's Husky team was behind and started to fire back. The eight soldiers went to the massive ape and took their shots at him. Fox started to feel the grasp loosen and used it to get an advantage. He was able to grab Fetcher's knife and stab Hutch in the leg. Fox pulled it out and did it again.

Hutch began to fall down and soon had Husky unleashing lasers on him before he finally fell back. The other Venom soldier that was with them started to fire as well, but eight against one was not even a fair fight, so the Husky team took him down easily.

Krystal looked up from being thrown and saw Avery and Solomon ducking behind the altar, fending for their lives. She saw her gold staff nearby and started to crawl to it. She was able to grab it and tried to stand with all her strength. Avery saw this and started to shoot at her, one laser grazed her left side and she fell back down in pain.

"Just gun those fuckers down!" Avery shouted at Solomon.

Avery reloaded quickly and shot up and started to fire at anything in front of him. Solomon reloaded as well and did the same thing. If they went out, it had to be all out. Falco and Slippy had to duck to not get hit and Bill started to go to Krystal to try and get her out of the line of fire.

Solomon was firing the rest of his blaster's shots when he felt something being stabbed through his neck. He grabbed a knife that was impaled into his neck and saw Fox running up to him. Fox threw the knife to stop him from shooting and ran to him to unleash a brutal punch.

As Solomon went down, Fox got the knife and twisted it as he pulled it out. Solomon fell down and blood was spurting from his neck. Avery was the next to feel something painful go through his right side. He looked over and saw Fox with eyes full of rage. He tried to use his rifle to punch Fox, but he quickly caught it.

Fox removed the knife and stabbed Avery in the same place he impaled Solomon. Avery dropped his blaster and tried to remove Fox's hands from his neck. Fox felt him fight back so to end it quickly, he twisted the knife has he pulled it out. Avery made gargling noises and fell down. He looked at his hand and saw the amount of blood already leaking out.

Fox left both of them there to bleed out, not thinking it necessary to finish them off. He dropped the knife and looked at Falco. Lots of time they've saved each other from certain doom in space, but being saved on the ground was something much more terrifying for both of them.

"Thanks for the save," Fox said.

"Any day, Fox." Falco responded.

Fox then looked to the far left and saw Krystal being tended to by Bill. He quickly went over to her and went on a knee. Krystal felt his presence and turned to him. She grabbed him by his arm and Fox caressed his hand over hers. Krystal could see the bracelet she made was still on him.

"Fox." She started to cry.

Fox wrapped his arms around her and held her close. She felt his raw emotions to her and she returned with an even tighter hug. Fox slowly lifted her up and stood her on her feet. She was still shaking, so Fox kept his arms around her.

"Uh, Fox." Slippy said.

Fox didn't pay Slippy attention, all his attention went to Krystal, who was holding onto him as if he was going to disappear. Fox kept stroking her hair, whispering lightly into her ear that he wasn't going to let anything hurt her anymore.

"Fox!" Falco shouted.

"What!" Fox looked up.

Falco pointed towards the altar and Fox looked its way. The altar had a white glow to it, and it looked like it was pulsating, the same rhythm as a heartbeat, and it sounded like one too. Fox could see the blood that was on the altar turn into a deep black, the darkest he's ever seen. The blood began to move with the pulsing, and soon began crawling towards Fetcher's body.

The blood began to form into a small mass as it grabbed Fetcher's head and started to wrap around it. Fox looked and saw Andross swimming erratically in his casing. The blood turned into a mass of liquid and started to wrap around the glass. It was squeezing and the glass was cracking before it finally gave in. Andross' brain started to flop around before getting devoured by the black mass.

The pulsating began to get stronger as Fetcher's body was being swallowed by the black mass. The temple began to shake as the pulsing light turned into lighting. Wild strands were shooting out and everyone had to duck to not get hit. The lightning was flying everywhere and that was an indication for those inside to run out.

"We need to go! Now!" Fox yelled.

Everyone inside didn't need to be told twice and they bolted for the exit. Fox took Krystal by the hand and started to run out, but felt her slip out.

"Krystal?"

Fox turned around and saw her staring at the process happening in front of her. She couldn't help but watch as the words the Krazoa said to them were true. Krystal felt something grab her hand and she quickly turned around.

"We need to go!" Fox said. He held her hand tightly and they both started to run out.

The lighting was going at max. The lighting started to shoot down that hallway that they were running in. It was running along the walls and was strong enough to break off chunks. The altar was at max capacity that it finally gave way and broke in half. The force of the lighting exploded into a massive ball of energy that came racing down the hallway.

Falco, Slippy, Bill, and Husky were able to turn the corner and run towards the entrance, but Fox and Krystal were behind and weren't going to make it out of the way. They both looked back and saw the lightning ball hurdling towards them. Fox saw an indent in the wall and didn't think of an alternative.

He grabbed Krystal and pushed her towards the indention in the wall. Krystal was slammed against the wall and turned around to see Fox use his body to cover over her, as if he was shielding her. The lighting was coming faster and Fox pressed his body closer to Krystal's, making sure that he would get most of the blast.

The ball finally reached to where Fox and Krystal were, and it sounded like a loud whirlwind was coming over them. The sound was deafening for both foxes, but they couldn't do anything to cover their ears, they just had to endure it.

Fox, however, was feeling the worst out of both of them. The lightning was striking his back and it felt hot and painful. He scream was louder than the noise the lightning was making. The entire hallway was shaking as the roof finally gave in. It collapsed down and was blocking any lighting from escaping.

Falco, Slippy, and Bill to dive away from the debris and the temple stopped shaking. They looked up and saw that the hallway was collapsed. But Falco didn't see Fox or Krystal with them. Falco got up and went to the debris.

"Fox! Fox!" Falco waited for a response.

Nothing.

Falco could hear footsteps approaching and turned to see Peppy and Katt appear from the entrance. They rushed to help Slippy and Bill up and Falco made his way back to them.

"Falco. What's going on?" Peppy asked.

Falco explained the current situation. How he had to kill Fetcher to save Fox and that they were now trapped behind more debris.

"They're trapped in there." Falco pointed to the hallway.

"Do you have something to remove all that?" Katt asked.

"Yeah, we do. You got that ball, Slip?" Falco looked over to Slippy.

"Um," Slippy wasn't looking at Falco.

"Slippy." Falco said with more sternness.

"It's only good for one use." Slippy scratched his head.

"Alright fine. Get another one ready."

Slippy looked away sheepishly.

"Don't tell me you have to make another one."

"I didn't think I needed two." Slippy said.

"Go make one!" Falco ordered.

"It'll take me a while though." Slippy started to waddle out the temple and call his Arwing.

Falco went back to the debris and started to pull rocks off pile, trying to get some loose. The rocks were heavy and it was a lot. It was reaching to the ceiling, so it would take some time to remove it all by hand.

"Fox! If you can hear me, we're getting you out!"

Krystal started to open her eyes as the lightning finally died down. Her ears were still ringing after the storm was done. She looked up and saw Fox's body over her. She started to fear and shook him to get his attention. Fox started to groan and feel a tingling sensation wash over him. He finally collapsed on top of Krystal.

"Fox?" Krystal whispered.

"Are you okay?" Fox asked weakly.

"What about you?" She looked at his back, it was singed, and fur was gone in some places.

"I've been through worse." Fox strained out.

Krystal looked down at Fox. He was attempting to stand up but was failing. She just kept thinking about what happened in the past few minutes. He was willing to put his life on the line twice for her.

"Fox, you," she couldn't get through the sentence because she started to choke up.

"Don't." Fox said. "Don't cry because of me."

She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his head. Fox felt this and wrapped his arms around her waist. Fox could hear Krystal's sob echoing in the hallway and it made Fox start to tear up as well. Krystal started to take off Fox's jacket that she was wearing. She wanted to cover up his wounds, but Fox stopped her from removing it.

Krystal looked down and saw those watery, emerald eyes piercing at her. It nearly broke her seeing him in such a vulnerable spot. She removed her arms from his head and cupped his muzzle. Fox looked up and saw Krystal coming closer and she gave him a small kiss.

Fox melted into it, but given his current condition, couldn't push for more if he wanted to. He let out a sharp exhale as the tingling grew more across his body. Krystal felt him starting to shake and she quickly started to stand up, using the wall to level herself before she went down to pick up Fox.

She draped his arm over her shoulder and used all her strength to pick Fox up. Fox winced at the pain he was in, but was able to stand on his feet. Krystal could hear Fox panting, but he pushed off her, saying that he was fine to stand on his own. They walked over to the pile or rocks blocking their path.

"See anything?" Fox asked.

"No." Krystal responded. "Wait. There's an opening."

Krystal pointed to the top of the rubble and saw a small hole. Krystal started to climb up the rocks to see if she could fit through. She reached the hole, but found that it was too small for her to fit through.

The broken altar fell apart as the black mass was beyond its capacity. The mass began to ooze out of the altar's chamber slowly. It was beginning to form into a body. An arm was trying to grab anything that it could and was forming out. A second arm was also protruding from the mass.

Both arms were started to drag the mass out before one leg was forming. Another leg was also forming, and the body was starting to regain its shape. The mass was able to stand on its legs and was walking out into the hallway. The feet were making soft, squishy noises. The head was last part to regain its shape.

The face was being reconstructed to fit the host's needs. It opened its mouth and large, pointy teeth came out of the flat muzzle. The ears went from on top to the side and were being shaped into a point.

The mass stopped where it was as it was in the final stages of reconstruction. The head was gyrating in its socket and the mass brought up its hands as it was the first thing it saw when it opened its eyes. The crimson glare that crossed over the mass was only matched by the haunting grin it created. The mass started to walk out into the hallway and saw two individuals in front of it.

"Can you get through?" Fox asked.

"It's to small for me." Krystal looked down. "Fox, try and see if you can…"

Fox saw Krystal looking out into the hallway. He followed her eyes and saw what she was staring at. He saw a black mass walking towards him. He started to back up until his back was against the debris. Krystal climbed down and stood next to him. She didn't want him to be alone for something like this.

The mass started to retract into the body it was surrounding. It sounded like someone was slurping a drink, it was a unnerving sound for both foxes as they got a look at the body. And the face.

Fox could see that it was indeed Fetcher's body, the black hoodie was still on him, but the face was something that made Fox fear for his life. He couldn't forget a face as haunting as that. He didn't want to believe that he was staring at the man he sent to hell. That crooked smile was enough to confirm that all of this was real.

"A-Andross?"

The grin on his face grew wider and some black liquid was leaking from his mouth.

"Back from the dead."

* * *

A/N: Want to give a big birthday shout out to Sonic the Hedgehog, who today celebrates 29 years of running fast.

Oh yeah, and Andross is back. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

Until then, Stabby out.


	23. Chapter XXIII

_**DISCLAIMER: **__Mild graphic scenes._

* * *

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter XXIII

"Hey McCloud. You look like you've seen a ghost."

Fox was trying to keep himself up against the debris, but seeing the dead look that the ape had across his face was enough to make Fox buckle more than a few times. Krystal felt him fall and tired to help him up, but it looked like Fox was going into some sort of panic attack.

Andross stopped his menacing walk and stood in place. He saw Krystal kneeling to Fox, trying to get him to calm down.

"Aww. Isn't that cute." Andross said in a mocking tone.

Krystal looked up to see the full black mass in its body. Krystal saw that he was wearing the black hoodie and pants that Fetcher was wearing, but the head was the defining feature that separated Fetcher from the new host that attached itself to Fetcher's body.

The haunting red eyes were only matched by the crooked smile that was present across his face. Krystal tried standing Fox up but he kept falling back. The blows to his midsection was evident as Fox was fearing that he had a few broken ribs. He cried out each time Krystal attempted to pick him up by his arm.

When those attempts failed, Krystal looked back to Andross and the ape still hadn't moved an inch, his hands behind his back and slanting to one side. Fox was still breathing heavily and he made a few tries to stand on his own, but couldn't stand.

Finally, he was able to grab onto some rocks and lifted himself, no matter how much it hurt. Krystal gently wrapped her arms around his waist and lifted him up. He let out long breaths as he was leaning against the debris. Krystal help lift him and was able to stand him up.

"I've got you," she whispered to him.

Fox let out more grunts as he was shifting himself to facing back into the hallway. Fox looked down and lifted his shirt to see a large purple spot that looked about the size of Hutch's knee. The purple bruise almost looked like it was getting bigger. Krystal placed her hand over it, but Fox let out a small hiss.

Krystal retracted her hand and could sense that one of his ribs was broken, if not multiple. She tried to place it back in attempt to soothe his pain, but Fox didn't allow her to, swatting her hand. Krystal almost jumped back at that, but didn't hold it against him because it was probably the most pain he's been in for quite some time.

Fox put down his shirt and looked up to see Andross had crept closer to him. Fox almost fell down at that but kept himself standing, not wanting Andross to see any sort of weakness. Krystal couldn't bear Fox to try and fight in his current state, so she decided to be a barrier between Fox and Andross.

Krystal stood in front of Fox, making sure that she shielded anything that Andross might through his way. Fox tried to remove her, but she stood her ground. Her face turned into a scowl as she stared pure hatred at Andross.

"K-Krystal?" Fox croaked out.

"I'm not letting you hurt him." Krystal growled at Andross. She remembered the story that Fox told her during their first meeting. How Andross was responsible for both of his parent's deaths. It made all the more personal for Fox.

"My dear. This does not concern you." Andross told Krystal. "Please, don't make it harder for him."

"Krystal. Don't do this." Fox tried to push her away, but she stood her ground. She made sure Fox was tucked behind her.

"No Fox. I won't let you be alone. I can't risk that." Krystal pressed her back more to Fox, making sure not to hurt him.

"K-Krystal." Fox's words almost made her turn around. He sounded like he was chocking up.

"Oh, young love. Always blinds those with big ambitions." Andross started to walk closer to them. "Your vixen here really does have an eye for you, that's for sure."

Andross was then staring at Krystal for an uncomfortable amount of time. Krystal noticed this and started to cover herself more with Fox's jacket. "You even gave her your jacket. Ain't that sweet. It's so strange. You look so much like…"

Andross started to leak more mass from his mouth before he finished his sentence. "Vixy."

"Don't you dare say her name, you bastard!"

Fox broke at that point and reluctantly pushed Krystal aside to go toe-to-toe with Andross. He started to throw punches and the ape was taking each individual one with no repercussion. Andross grabbed one of his fists and brought Fox to the ground before jumping on Fox and threw punches of his own. Each one that connected to Fox sounded like a wet slap. The black mass that was leaking from Andross' fingers was flying everywhere.

Andross picked Fox up by his neck. Fox started to gasp for air before he was thrown against the wall. He let out a loud inhale as he felt his arms being restricted. He looked to see his amrs outstretched and black mass on his wrists. They began to harden as Fox was basically glued to the wall. Fox saw Andross coming closer and started to kick, since his feet were still free. Andross then shot black mass to Fox's ankles.

"Look Fox. I know you have intentions to kill me, as many times as you'd like. But the truth is, I'm never going to die." Andross threw another punch to Fox. "I've come to this planet before but could never figure out the secret to perfect revitalization." Another one. "I need to thank my idiot nephew for actually believing he had a chance. That nice colonel of yours, he may need a statue outside of Corneria once we're done. And you." Another punch. A string of blood was falling from Fox's muzzle.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure your epitaph will include your involvement to bring me back. So that generations from now, when my empire is finally complete, they will know the true story of Fox McCloud." Andros started to punch Fox several times in the stomach.

Krystal began to lift herself. She was lucky that Fox didn't throw her against the rocks. She started to look around and saw the looming figure of Andross going wild on Fox. She reached down to her holster and extended her staff. She gave a running start before impaling Andross in the side.

Andross stopped his punches and looked at the staff that was inside him. He didn't cry out or fall over as many others who were stabbed would. Instead, he just took a quick glance at Fox, the staff, and Krystal.

"You _really _have to try better than that." Andross said. He grabbed Krystal's wrists and pulled them closer to him. With his free hand, he backhanded Krystal and she went falling instantly.

Andross picked Krystal by her scruff and she tried to fight back. Kicking behind her so he could let her go, but Andross gave her a punch on her side. He threw Krystal against the opposite wall and use the same method that he did to restraining Fox. Her wrists and ankles were glued to the wall and she tired to break free from it.

"I'll come back for you." Andross pointed a finger at her.

He turned back and began to slowly pull Krystal's staff from his side. Once it was free, he took it in both hands and began to study it. He wiped off some black mass from the few inches that were impaled and his face looked puzzled.

Fox started to pick his head up and take in his surroundings. Everything felt like it was spinning, his vision was blurry, and he had a ringing sensation in his ears. The broken ribs felt more disjointed now as it was very hard for Fox to breath. His vision was staring to clear up and he could see Andross was studying Krystal's staff.

Andross was running his fingers through the staff's indentions, as if he was sensing for something. Krystal was trying to release herself from the hold of Andross' mass but was finding that the restraints were hardened. Andross turned back to Krystal and was studying her more.

"I've… seen this before." Andross looked at her staff and started to approach Krystal. He went to Krystal's arm and put a finger on her tattoo. He started to trace the pattern on her arm and Krystal tried to wiggle herself free. Fox saw this and tried to speak up with all his might.

"Don't… you touch… her." It was all Fox could muster out. Andross either didn't hear or didn't care as he was still tracing Krystal's arm tattoo.

"It's so familiar. It might have to do that my brain is still 'rebooting' so to say, but damn me because I know this is familiar." Andross removed his hand and went back to Krystal's staff.

Krystal looked over to Fox. He looked bad. It was so much her to see that when Fox looked up at her, she started to break down.

"K-Krystal. Stop." Fox breathed out. She was crying because of him. He didn't want that. He knew that it was his fault that she was in this mess. Fox was thinking to himself that he was responsible for everything to this point. Moreover, Krystal was caught in the line of fire.

"The markings. The staff." Andross was mumbling to himself. "The only place would be…"

Andross head started to pick up and he quickly turned to Krystal.

"Cerinia."

Krystal looked to Andross in complete confusion and shock. But that was all Andross needed to confirm his suspicions. Fox heard this as well. His eyes started to widen as Andross was going to reveal something that Fox should have done a long time ago.

"Yes. I haven't been to Cerinia, but I know about your kind. The one's with the telepath. Big, spooky brain powers that would be shunned on other planets. Do you know what would've happened if Corneria found you first?"

"W-What?" Krystal sounded genuine with asking.

"Oh, they would have leeched your planet dry and say that your protection is their first priority. Not to mention the experiments they would subject your kind because of your powers. If Corneria were to exploit that, then I would for sure be gone sooner than expected. So, you should thank me for destroying your planet."

Krystal's face dropped. "Y-You…"

"I had no other choice. I would have had a difficult time trying to persuade your idiot ruler, and if Corneria somehow joined forces with you, it'd mark doom for me. My only option was to destroy Cerinia."

"Y-You!"

Krystal started to lose it. She began screaming loudly and her screams turned into howls as she was baring her teeth to Andross. She tried to pull her arms loose from the restraints, but they kept her in place. She was doing everything in her power to end the person who brought her so much pain. Andross put his hands up defensively, almost trying to act frightened by Krystal's act.

"That's quite not the response I was looking for." Adnross said as he put his hands down. "I thought you would have known by now."

Krystal's growls started to die down as she started to speak up. "You're the monster who destroyed my planet! You are going to pay for this!"

"My, my. Such anger. Surely, Fox would have told you everything."

Krystal went from a scowl to full blank. "What?"

Andross made a dramatic gasp and covered his mouth as he turned to Fox. "Fox. You didn't tell her."

Fox wasn't looking at them. Krystal's gaze was no directed towards Fox. She could see that he was still breathing heavily and his bruises on his face were more visible. However, Fox avoided looking up. Almost like he was avoiding her gaze.

"Fox… y-you saw?" Krystal sounded heartbroken.

"He did." Andross started to walk back to Fox. "Didn't you, Fox?"

Andross leaned next to Fox's left side. Fox looked down to avoid Krystal and stared at Andross. All Andross did was smile and more black mass leaked from his mouth. The image alone was disturbing to Fox.

"Tell her." Andross said. "Tell her how you saw her planet get destroyed. How you stood back and didn't jump into action at a moment's notice."

"That's not true!" He yelled in his face.

"Then tell her the truth!" Andross yelled back.

It was now Fox's time to tell her truthfully how that fateful day went down. He was hoping it would be under different circumstances, but this was the equivalent of having a gun pointed at him. He slowly moved his head to face Krystal and finally looked at her.

Krystal had tears flowing down her cheeks, but she had a glare at Fox. She looked in denial that what she was hearing was purely fantasy. She didn't want to believe that Fox hid this from her. Fox looked down before he started to speak what he should have said a long time ago.

"Krystal. I tried. I-I really did. He was just… too powerful at that point. I wanted to tell you before but…" Fox took in another shallow breath. "It was selfish of me to keep this from you. I am so sorry. Please."

Krystal took a long look at Fox. She could hardly see the outline of his figure as her eyes were blurry from her tears. She couldn't wipe them because she was restrained. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Not only did Fox witness her planet being destroyed, but the fact that he tried to hide it from her for his own gain made her feel sick.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Andross mocked. He moved so that he was blocking Fox's view of Krystal. "It really is unfortunate that it had to come to this. Your feelings got the best of you, Fox. And it has shown that you were blindly going to hunt for the truth, while internally knowing the reality of it all."

Andross turned to Krystal. "Men will lie to get on top. It's been set in stone for millenniums before us and millenniums after us. There is no denying that what Fox did fell into this category. Did he promise he'd go searching with you? That when you found out it was me, he'd be surprised as well and say it was good we got rid of him?"

Krystal didn't answer Andross. She was more focused on the fact Fox hiding all this from her. She didn't know what to feel now. On one hand, she was hurting from the physical part of having her arms outstretched and wrists pinned down. The other was emotionally hurt. She knew that her feeling towards Fox were still growing, but she knew internally that she was falling for him. Now, she was having an internal conflict with herself.

_You knew he was acting odd because of something! How could you be so foolish and not see it. That's why you always lose yourself with someone like that. You should have never gotten close to him._

She always pushed those thoughts about Fox away, but now they were really showing its ugly head, as if it was bragging about this revelation. Krystal just wanted this nightmare to end. She tried to compose herself, but the tears came falling.

"I know exactly how you feel, my dear." Andross said in a shocking comfort. "I too, have had many things taken from me in an instant. My works, my experiments, my devotion to the once emphatic Corneria. It's no wonder why we feel the same."

"I am nothing like you!" She yelled in his face. "You took everything from me!"

"We all know what pain feels like." Andross sighed. He started to eye something on Krystal's stomach. There was a line that extended from under her left ribcage to her right hip. A line of missing fur that looked completely healed.

Andross started to form a wicked grin. He picked up his hand and extended a finger out, a long claw began protruding from the end. "We are all in the same. I know I come from a different plane than you do, but we are the same in terms of misguided men."

Andross placed the claw on the top of where Krystal's line was. Krystal started to squirm, trying to avoid Andross' claw, but once she felt it break the skin, she let out a sharp scream.

"Don't hurt her!" Fox was trying to break from the restraints, but his injuries were starting to get worse on him.

Andross began to drag his claw across Krystal's abdomen. It wasn't deep, just enough to split the skin. He dragged it slowly, tracing the line exactly how it was showing. Krystal's screams died down to just whimpers. She lost her voice to speak up, all she could just do was endure this and hoping it would all be over soon.

Fox was moving his wrists and circling them to get it loose from the mass. It didn't budge and it was causing the cut in his left hand to start bleeding again. It was dried up, but the movement caused the partially healed skin to break and his blood started to leak out. It was trickling down his palm and was accumulating near the restraints.

Fox couldn't hear Krystal's voice, which made it all the more to release himself. He pulled his arm, but the pulling felt like he would remove it from his socket. Fox looked around trying to find something to pry his arms and legs off. He then remembered that he was inhibit, so any hope of finding an object would fall short.

Everything around Fox felt like it was going in slow motion. He felt his left arm going numb due to the blood loss from his hand. It was at this point he felt a little airway go through his left wrist. Fox looked and saw that some of the black mass was corroding away. He started to twist his wrist and saw that it was getting free.

He rotated his wrist and was able to start breaking it free. The mass was cracking under the pressure until Fox ripped his arm free. Once it was out, he took a long look, wondering how he was able to break free. He looked at his palm, seeing the blood running down his arm. He got curious and decided to test his theory. He went his right wrist and began rubbing his open wound on the mass.

It hurt like hell, but Fox saw that it was breaking down the restraint. He pressed down more as his blood was tearing through the mass. It took a little more to get his right wrist free. The chunks fell down and Fox looked up to see if Andross had heard.

He didn't, so Fox quickly made work on the restraints on his ankles. He went to his left one and then to his right. The mass was corroding with Fox's blood. It was a messy situation that he got himself into, but he needed to get free.

Once he was out, he fell to his knees and stared hateful at the back of Andross' head. Fox looked about for anything and saw a rock, about the size of a watermelon. He didn't think twice as he picked it up with all his might and went to Andross

Krystal couldn't even make a sound. Her voice was dried from the screaming that only soft grunts were the only thing escaping. Her head dangled as Andross went to final ends of her scar. The cut was as deep as when it was originally there. Some blood was starting to seep out, so Andross was extra careful to avoid it.

He reached the end of the scar and removed his claw from her skin. A single drop of blood was hanging from his claw and he quickly shook it off. His fingers danced as he looked at the exhausted vixen.

"This could have all been avoided if you didn't butt in." Andross said.

He grabbed her muzzle and forced her to look up. Her eyes were red all round from the tears and it was like looking into the hollow shell of someone. Krystal hardly reacted to anything Andross did. He tried snapping his fingers or waving his hands to get her attention, but she wasn't budging. Andross saw that she was still breathing, so she must be in shock from the series of events.

"I guess I went too hard on you. It really is a shame, though. You were quite beautiful before all this." Andross released her muzzle.

Krystal tried to say something, but it was so faint, Andross didn't hear anything. He wiped his fingers one by one and some black mass started to ooze from his fingertips.

"Don't worry, my dear. I'll make sure it'll be painless. As for Fox, let's just say… he'll get double for what he did-"

Andross didn't finish his sentence before his head was hit with a large rock. Andross stumbled, but he felt the rock hit him again. His back hit the fallen debris and he saw who was behind the rock.

It was the last face he saw before Fox hit the rock in his face. Over and over he pounded the rock against him and the debris. Andross' head was getting misshapen and black mass was flying everywhere. The sounds were getting heavier as it turned from broken bones to a squishing noise.

Fox did this several times. His face was as mad as it had ever been. He was panting from throwing the rock against his arch nemesis and he was getting exhausted from this as well. He gave the rock a few more pounds before intimately falling back and letting the rock go. He saw the mutilated head and body of Andross fall forward.

It wasn't a pretty sight, but Fox had bashed Andross' skull to the point that he would barely be recognizable. Fox panted as he began to lift himself up. His target was dead, so now he went to a more somber matter.

He didn't want to see the state that Krystal was in. He turned around and saw her hanging limp. Her hair was covering most of her face, so Fox had to get close to see the damage. He looked to her stomach and saw the scar reopened. She was bleeding her little, but the emotional damage was already set.

Fox started to walk to her before he heard laughter. It stopped him dead in his tracks as he heard something slimy start to move. Fox slowly turned around and saw the black mass was making its way back to Andorss' body. The mass was forming the outline of a head and the arms started to pick the body up.

Fox fell down and scurried back. The mass was forming holes and creases where the eyes and mouth were. The color started to come back and eyes and mouth were taking form. After a few seconds of rearranging, Andross' face was back to normal.

"Oh, Fox. You're going to have to try harder than that." Andross mocked. He walked towards Fox before stopping near Krystal.

"I've actually given it a second thought. My brain was a little scrambled, but thanks to you, I got it all figured out." Andross went to Krystal and grabbed her muzzle. "I'll make you my bride."

Fox went blank.

"Yes. You'll take Vixy's place and be my wedded. Think of the glorious places we can rule with that mind of yours. Although, we may need to tweak a few things in there." Andross tapped Krystal's head.

Krystal still didn't move. It looked as if she passed out from exhaustion and shock. Andross' wicked laugh filled the out hallway before it was put out by a major punch.

Andorss stumbled as he saw that Fox delivers the swing. "I told you. You have to try-"

He didn't finish as Fox delivered another haymaker. Andross stumbled again, but didn't fall. The third one is what finally brought Andross to the ground.

"You can't kill me anymore. You can try all you want; I'm never going away."

Andross' taunt was enough for Fox to think of something. He looked at his left hand and saw the blood was starting to dry up, but there were some wet spots there. He didn't think and went for his suspicions. He wrapped his bloodied hand around Andross' neck and began to squeeze.

Andross started to laugh, but then that laugh started to turn into a cough. Andross saw the hand that was covering his throat. He felt himself become restricted from breathing. That and he felt his throat being burned.

"Wh-What are you doing?" Andorss tried to remove Fox's hands but was met with a wicked punch.

Fox put more pressure with his bloodied hand and used his other one as leverage, competently wrapping both hands around Andross' neck. He stared coldly at Andorss as he was struggling to get free. He started to scream as he felt his neck start to disintegrate.

Andross was fighting back, but a Fox would punch him whenever he tried to get free. Fox felt his hand sinking into his neck, and getting smaller with each passing second. Andross started to kick Fox. Fox was letting out yells as he was hitting the same area where his rib was broken. Andross was hitting again and the pain was too much for Fox that he released Andross.

The ape started to scamper up and fell down as he was desperately trying to breath. Most of his neck was gone, leaving the esophagus exposed. Andross covered his neck and began to run the other way. Fox stood up slowly, the pain from his rib was starting to take its toll. He couldn't walk a few steps before falling.

Andross started to run out the backside and slowly turned into a black blob. The blob slithered back to the altar and down the cavern that was underneath it. Fox got up and wanted to chase after it, but his injuries and his worry for Krystal stopped him.

"God. Damn. Coward." Fox breathed.

Fox fell to his knees. His breathing was the only thing filling the empty hallway. It was here he turned to Krystal. He could see her head was still down. Her hair covered her entire face and her body was limp. Fox saw the reopened scar and grimaced at her current state. It was all his fault that she was in the mess. If he had told her sooner, than she wouldn't have this mental scar embedded into her.

Fox got up and went to Krystal. She looked so limp that Fox actually feared the other possibility. He picked up his hand and slowly reached out. His hand was shaking, and the hallway echoed with his shaky breath. Fox gingerly placed his hand on the side of Krystal's face. He caressed it with all his care in the world, hoping Krystal would recognize his touch.

"Krystal?"

It was not more than a whisper and it was all to snap Krystal out of her shock. She felt the hand on her face and immediately shot up. She didn't think twice on who it was and bared her fangs. She screamed and even tried to bite whoever's hand was touching here. Fox quickly retreated his hand and saw her face.

He could see that her eyes were hollow. As if all the grace they had when he stared at them before was now gone. She was broken. She was scarred both physically and mentally. She kept screaming until her eyes saw who was standing. It was dying down and she could see the outline of an orange figure. Finally, she could feel who it was.

Once she could feel it was Fox's presence, did her screams turn into sobs. Fox slowly approached her and went to the restraints that were on her wrists and ankles.

"I'm getting you out of these, Krystal." Fox said as he went to her left wrist.

She could see that Fox was rubbing his cut hand on the mass. It was breaking apart and Krystal could feel her wrist getting free. Once it was completely gone, Fox went to her left ankle. He went to work there before going to the other ankle, release both her feet and gently lowering them to the ground.

Fox went up and started to rub his hand on her right wrist. He kept thinking about what he was going to do next. For sure, go and kill Andross, but then came the part with him and Krystal. He kept thinking that she wasn't going to want to be near him. Keeping a secret that severe and coming from the ape who did it was enough for Fox to know that she would want nothing to do with him was he left.

Fox got the last restraint off and Krystal stated to fall. Fox quickly caught her and brought her down. Fox held her close and tenderly. He wrapped his arms around her, but he didn't feel her do the same. She was still limp from the shock and then she started to cry. She slowly brought her arms around Fox to return the gesture. Fox tried to remember this as it would probably be the last time he'd feel Krystal's arms around him.

* * *

Everyone was doing their best to try and remove the debris from the hallway, but once they heard Krystal's screams, it made all of them stop and fear for both of them. It made it all the more to get in and rescue them.

Falco and Katt were at the top trying to remove the rocks so they could jump in and thwart off any threats. Slippy had to return back to the Great Fox to build a new vacuum ball as his first one was not fit for a second go.

"There's just more rocks." Katt said as she kept throwing rocks down.

"We gotta keep going." Falco said, determined to get through. "Fox wouldn't stop. He'd want us to keep pushing."

Bill and his Husky and Bulldog squads were trying to find any entrance around the temple, but there was no possible entry. Most of the trees surrounding the temple were thick so they couldn't see through. They went back inside and they heard a lone engine in the distance.

A lone Arwing came flying back down. The engines shut off and out came the cubby toad, running as fast back up the steps.

"Slippy." Bill was relieved to see him. "You got your thing working?"

"Yeah, and I made sure that it was fixed for more than one use." Slippy panted.

All of them guided Slippy back to the debris and Slippy called out to Falco and Katt.

"Slip! You got it?" Falco looked down.

"It's fixed. I need you guys to get down and get to a safe distance." Slippy started to arm the ball.

"Fox! If you can hear us, get to cover!" Falco yelled as he and Katt climbed down. When they reached the ground, Peppy was there to greet them.

"I pray that we aren't late," Peppy said as they rounded the corner to avoid the radius.

"He's a hard son of a bitch, Pep. He'll make it." Falco assured.

Slippy finished inputting the controls and set it on a shorter timer, mainly five seconds. The light turned white to indicate the device was working. Slippy pressed it the white light flashed for a few seconds. Slippy rushed to where everyone else was, to ensure the was blocked. The light stopped flashing and the ball opened.

The ball sucked in all the debris and once the five seconds had passed, the ball closed on itself and flashed green. Everyone heard that the ball closed, they set their blaster's safety off and began to rush into the hallway.

Everyone checked their corners as they saw that nothing was inside. Falco looked around and then below their waist when he saw Fox and Krystal. Falco saw Fox holding Krystal close to him. He placed his blaster down and so did everyone else when they confirmed no threat in the area.

Fox felt all eyes on him. He held Krystal close as he began standing up. Krystal clung onto him as she felt Fox's arms go under her legs. He picked her up and carried her bridal style. She picked herself up so that her arms were around Fox's neck, holding him close. Her muzzle was buried into his neck and she breathe in his scent.

Fox turned around and looked at everyone staring at him. He looked down at Krystal with a sympathetic gaze as he began to walk out the hallway. Everyone moved to the side as Fox continued to walk with Krystal in his arms. Fox walked out of the temple and left everyone behind him as he began walking in the direction of Walled City.

Falco saw Fox walk out and everyone understood that they needed their time to recover. Katt saw the look on Krystal's face. She recalled when she first met her, she looked lively and charming. Now, she looked sad and hollow. Katt went to Falco and held onto his feathered hand.

Falco felt this touch and looked at Katt. She had her other hand close to her chest. Falco returned the gesture and held her hand tightly, hoping that both Fox and Krystal would get through this.

* * *

A/N: Isn't it neat that you have a plot saving vacuum ball that you established at the beginning. That's what I've been doing, building. And soon, everything you built needs to be either destroyed or saved. It is up to you on how you interpret that.

Until then, Stabby out.


	24. Chapter XXIV

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter XXIV

Fox took the long walk back to Walled City.

His side hurt tremendously due to his rib, but it wasn't the same hurt that the vixen he was carrying was feeling. In all the times he comforted the different inhabitants on his journey, this one was going to be the most difficult one he would ever face.

Not only did Fox not tell Krystal that he saw her planet blow up, it came out of the ape who destroyed it. Then, Andross forced Fox to say that he witnessed everything. Fox was mentally kicking himself for not saying anything earlier. He wanted to, but he got caught up with either work for Star Fox, or just sneaking off with Krystal. He should have told her during those times, but didn't.

Now, as he was still carrying her back to the Cornerian camp to get treatment for her reopened scar, Fox had all this time to think about his selfish actions and try to make it up. He was willing to do whatever it takes to let Krystal know that he was sorry for putting her through this torment.

As Fox was walking inside the camp, many of the dinosaurs from the tribe were walking outside and could see smoke coming from the temple's spire. They turned to each other and were discussing if the area was deemed safe to return. Their talks quickly halted as they saw Krystal in Fox's arms.

They watched as Fox quietly walked through the mob that was waiting outside the city's wall. The EarthWalkers made a small path for them as Fox reached the Cornerian base. Fox looked down at Krystal, she just had her head close to his chest. She didn't look up at him during the entire trip back. It looked like she was lost in another world.

Fox walked down the rows of tents until he reached one with a red cross on it. He was hoping that the camp's doctor was still there and didn't run out to help fight at the temple. He stood in front of the entrance and used his elbow to open the flap and enter. He held Krystal close as he maneuvered into the open flap.

Fox saw the tent, of course, was unoccupied, except for the doctor. The brown-red feline was going through records of other soldiers in the base and was including some to be medically discharged. The doctor heard the flap open and was cautious of who it was. He reached underneath his desk and once he saw it was Fox, took his hand from under and stood up.

"McCloud. Is everything okay?" He asked.

Fox didn't acknowledge his question as he slowly walked to the cot that was at the end of the tent. The doctor couldn't see the condition of Krystal, so he had to wait until Fox set her down. Fox reached the cot and was slow to lay Krystal down. He set her legs at the end of the bed and gently laying her as he removed his right arm from under her.

Krystal felt herself being laid and she brought her arms around Fox's neck and held it tight, not wanting to let go. Fox cried out as it was tight for him. His broken rib was really hurting him.

"Krystal. You need to… let go." Fox said as he tried to release himself from her hold. It wasn't until the stings from Krystal's cut, did she slowly remove her arms from Fox.

Fox gently put her head on the stiff pillow. He took a moment to see her eyes. They looked red all around and the blue iris almost looked like they were fading away. Fox saw the jewel that she always wore on her head was dimming. Fox stroked her cheek and touched his forehead with her lightly.

There was a buzzing coming from Fox's wristcomm. He removed his head from Krystal's and saw it was Peppy.

**Fox, we need to talk about what we need to do.**

Fox started to type back, saying he was already at the base and to meet him here. Once he sent it, he looked back at Krystal, who was now holding her arms close to her, as if she was hugging herself, his jacket doing its best to cover Krystal's cut. Fox placed a hand on her arm, feeling her soft fur run through his fingers. He removed his hand and stood upright, wincing in pain from his side.

"Do you need treatment?" The doctor asked.

"I'm fine." Fox lied.

"McCloud. You don't look…"

"I said I'm fine." Fox snapped at the feline. "She's your only priority now. Make sure she's safe."

Fox looked back at Krystal, who was now facing away from both him and the doctor. Outside, Fox could hear voices approaching the camp, indicating that everyone was making their way back to recuperate and treat the wounded. Fox turned away and began walking out of the tent, he had a small limp going out.

The doctor saw Krystal's back to him. Realizing that she was going to need some time to get herself situated, he pulled the chair from his desk and rolled it over to Krystal's bedside. He sat down and grabbed a clipboard with a fresh chart.

"Ma'am. Can you tell me what hurts?"

Krystal faintly heard the doctor's question and she closed her eyes as she opened her mouth to reply in no more than a whisper.

"Everything."

Fox covered his eyes as he exited the tent. The bright glares from Solar blinded him for a second before he regained his vision. He could see the soldiers that partook in the firefight were returning. He overheard some talking about staying behind and cleaning up the mess that was left at the temple. Fox knew that Corneria liked cleaning up their messes so much that some planets still complain about how certain areas are still trying to recover. So, he knew that Sauria was going to be no exception.

Fox could see his crew coming up with Katt and Bill following behind them. He would need to catch them up on what happened when he and Krystal were trapped. They will be in for the shock of their lives.

"Fox." Peppy said as they approached him. "We've figured out that it was Venom forces that were in charge of the assault. As for why, we're trying to-"

"He's back." Fox said hoarsely.

"Wh… No." Peppy's face glared with fear.

"You're not saying who I think." Falco went to Fox.

Fox didn't want to admit it, but had to so they could plan better. "Fetcher was under our nose the whole time. He planned everything. And he… was able to bring back… Andross."

The mental images of Krystal appeared in his head. He squatted down with his head in his hands, but the ribs stopped him from going down. He grimaced in pain and fell to a knee. Falco was quick to pick him up as well as Slippy. They took an arm around their neck but Fox pushed them off.

"Hey man, we're trying to help you." Falco was peeved that Fox wasn't accepting help.

"I'm fine." Fox brushed himself off.

"You don't look fine." Slippy commented.

"Yeah. In fact, you look like shit." Falco added. "Did he really mess you up that much?"

Fox glared at Falco and then back down to his injured ribs. Bill was off to the side taking a call from another group of soldiers. Bill was listening closely before he cut the feed and turned to Fox.

"I just got word that a Cornerian ship was stolen. Two bodies were found at the launch point. They had black stakes impaled in them." Bill went back to the call and informed the search team. "Get a lock on where that ship is headed."

"There's only one place he could go, Bill." Fox called out.

"Are you sure," Bill questioned.

"I'm positive. Tell Pepper. We're going to need everything. Pep." Peppy turned to Fox. "Go with him and tell Pepper everything that I've told you. Back Bill up to get as much support."

"Okay." Peppy went to Bill and they both walked into one of the tents.

"It's going to be one hell of a show once we get there. Slip." Slippy turned at attention. "Get the Great Fox down here and get us a quick route to Venom."

"Fox, we don't know if the Great Fox can handle one more blast. When I get back, ROB said it could collapse any second." Slippy tried his best to explain to Fox, but he wasn't having it.

"If we wait, Andross will build himself another army. He'll throw Lylat into war again. I don't care if we need tape to patch it up, we're going." Fox didn't want to raise his voice at Slippy, but if that was the only way to get the message across, he'd do it again.

Slippy did wince at Fox's voice, but gave a nod and began to jog all the way back to the temple to get his Arwing and fly back to their mothership. Fox looked at both Falco and Katt. Both couldn't think of anything to say to Fox. His face was bruised and his chest was rising and falling fast. This was probably the worst condition they'd both seen him in.

"How is Krystal doing?" Katt spoke up.

Falco turned to her in shock at how Katt knew Krystal's name. Fox looked away, obviously not wanting to talk about it. Just the thought of her in that state made Fox clench his fists hard to where they turned white.

"S-She got cut up pretty bad." Fox turned back to them. "The doctor should be stitching her up."

Fox decided to tell only half of what happened. The only other one who knew she was from Cerinia was Peppy, and if he found out that it was Andross who told her, Fox would get an earful from him.

"Fox!"

Fox looked up as he heard the high pitch of Tricky running to him. Fox sighed as he had to tell another individual the same number of events.

"Are you okay?" Tricky asked worryingly.

"Not really, but I'll get through." Fox looked down at the knee high EarthWalker.

"Where's Krystal? I haven't seen her since she ran towards the temple. She said that she'd be back soon."

Fox looked at Tricky with a solemn gaze and tried to tell him with little detail the current state of Krystal's health.

"She got injured. The doctor is looking at her. I can assure you she'll be… okay." Fox sounded unsure when he said that last word.

Tricky didn't catch it and his face went to his usual happy nature. "What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know."

Tricky caught Fox's voice of concern and in turn, his face went down. Fox saw that and tried to turn the conversations around.

"I mean. I do know. I'm still trying to think things through." Fox looked at Walled City's entrance to see Auserij and Sosacau addressing their tribe about the recent series of events. The crowd looked both scared and relieved that they had to witness such devastation close to their home, but they were all safe.

"Tricky, you should go back to your parents." Fox sounded like he was pushing Tricky away. He didn't want the small dinosaur to see Krystal's true state.

"Are you sure she's okay?"

"Yes. She's fine." Fox had to lie so Tricky wouldn't ask any more questions. Tricky started to walk back but gave another quick glance at Fox before returning to his parents.

In the distance, Fox could hear the distant roar of engines. The Great Fox was descending from the clouds and was moving over the camp.

"Falco. Could you take a look at the Arwing? Make sure they're prepped for the trip." It was the last thing that Fox could order something to Falco. "You can get Katt to help you."

Falco turns his head to Katt and she nodded her head, willing to help Falco with the task.

"Okay. We'll do it." Falco complied. "Hey."

Fox turned his attention to Falco.

"You'll do what's right. I believe in you. Ya got that?" Falco placed a wing on Fox's shoulder. "We'll be ready to go when you are."

Fox tried his best to smile at Falco's words, but it would go away when he thought about what he was talking about. Falco gave Fox a pat before removing his wing and motioning for Katt to join him.

"Foxy, whatever happened in there, you gotta fix it," Katt started. "That look in her eyes, she was sad. Whatever happened, it needs to be addressed. I know you can do it."

Fox looked up to Katt and she gave him a small wink before catching up with Falco. Now that he was alone, he had ample time to think about what he's going to say when he goes back into the tent.

One meeting with Krystal is all he needs before they leave so he can know if anything between them is broken. Fox turned around and stood at the tent's entrance. He took a shallow breath and walked in.

The doctor was at his desk, filling out what was Krystal's records. He heard the flaps of the tent open to see Fox entering. The feline turned in his chair and looked down at his clipboard.

"McCloud. Glad you're back. Ms. Krystal's abdomen was severely cut, so I had to suture it together. She's currently resting."

Fox looked at the cot that was at the end of the tent. He could only see Krystal's head. Her entire body was covered with a brown blanket. She was still facing away from the entrance.

"Doc, could you give us a minute?"

The feline looked back at Krystal and to him. "McCloud, she needs to be resting. I gave her some antibodies for the pain, so she may not be in a talking mood."

Fox looked down at the doctor. "I just need to tell her something. I know she'll listen. Please, just a few minutes."

The doctor could sense that this was a personal matter between the two to them. He sighed and grabbed the clipboard and a few papers and pens.

"Okay. Just a few minutes." The feline brushed past Fox and out the tent. He covered the entrance so that they could have their privacy.

Fox stood at the desk with closed fists. He took small, shaky steps towards the cot. Everything was silent. Fox couldn't hear anything besides his heart beating when he was getting closer to Krystal. He finally reached the cot and Krystal still didn't turn.

Once Fox reached the cot, he turned around and slowly lowered himself onto the springs. They cracked as he sat on them and he looked back to see if Krystal turned, she didn't. It was just them, and now Fox had a short time to say his words to Krystal.

"Krystal. If you're hearing me… God, I don't even know what to say." Fox placed his head in his hands. "You deserved to know a long time ago. And yet, I was selfish to keep it from you. It's just."

Fox could feel the tears swelling in his eyes.

"I… I… started to get to know you more. You caught my attention in a way that no one else ever could. The longer we were together, the more enthralled I became with you. I was beginning to realize I was… I…"

Fox couldn't see it, but Krystal was attentively listening to every word Fox was saying. Her ears were twitching at the voice of Fox and she held her arms close to herself. She stared intensely at the wall, wondering if Fox was going to say it.

"I… was becoming attached to you." Fox couldn't say that word. He wouldn't know how Krystal would react if he did. "You have fight. You have charisma and kindness that I've wanted to know more about. Even if it meant searching for answers that… I already knew."

Fox gripped the cot with his hands and leaned forward.

"I was selfish to think that. You have every right to be upset at me, and I understand if you… if you don't want anything to do with me. I deserve it."

Fox looked back and he could see Krystal was still facing the tent. He brought his right hand from the cot and gently placed it on Krystal's shoulder.

"Krystal?"

It took a while for Krystal to feel his touch. She was so caught up with her emotions that she didn't think and, without repercussion, swatted Fox's hand off her shoulder.

Fox felt the sting from Krystal's swat, but to him, this was his confirmation that a chance of mending any relations between them was done. He closed his hand and returned it to the original place on the cot.

"I'm going to kill him." Fox bluntly said. "I'm going to kill him. He deserves to rot in hell for all eternity. After that, I'll come back to tell you and then, we can… go our separate ways."

Fox looked back to see Krystal shifting under the blanket, but she didn't turn to him. Fox looked at the ground and shut his eyes tightly, trying to avoid any more tears from falling. Fox slowly got up, the springs creaking as he stood.

"Thank you. For being someone to talk to. To laugh with. To be with." Fox looked down at the bracelet that Krystal made him. He saw a drop of water fall onto it.

He shook his wrist and took in a deep breath, ignoring his ribs. He made a promise to Krystal to return with the news of Andross' death, and after, it would be up to her on how she would go through with the news.

Fox took a while to make himself start taking a step. Because once he started, he couldn't turn back. He sucked in whatever dignity he had left and forced himself to take the first step. It was long but once his boot hit the ground, he brought his other one and started to walk from the cot.

Fox was so in his own mind that the next step he took, he almost fell back because of something grabbing his wrist. He turned around to see Krystal reaching over and holding him in place. Fox stared long only into Krystal's eyes but she didn't have the same look.

"Fox," Krystal started. "What you've done, not telling me about Cerinia. I'm not sure if I can forgive you for that."

Fox knew that part. He didn't need to be told that Krystal was not going to forgive him about her planet's destruction.

"But…"

Those words made Fox jump in his fur.

"I can't express how much you've grown on me as well. I knew something was wrong, and I should have pushed for it, but I kept putting it aside, to get to know you more."

Krystal began to sit up and guided Fox back onto the cot. She took both his hands and ran her finger through his. Fox saw the stitches that Krystal was now sporting.

"I guess you can say I was getting selfish myself." Krystal added

"I'm sorry." Fox put his head down.

Fox felt Krystal remove her hand from his only to feel them being wrapped around his head. She brought hers closer until the jewel was touching Fox's forehead. Fox could feel something flowing around in his mind. It felt welcoming and silky. It felt like it was tickling his brain.

_There is one way, I believe, you can make it up to me._

Fox realized that Krystal was talking in his mind. "What is it?"

_Go. Be the hero you are, and come back to me._

"I'll make sure he'll pay for what he did to you. I promise you."

_I know you will._

Krystal withdrew her powers from Fox's mind and opened her eyes. She tilted her head back to see Fox slowly opening his. Fox blinked a couple of times to get the tears to go away, but one slipped down his cheek. Krystal saw it and wiped it away. She stroked Fox's cheek gingerly, finally smiling at Fox.

Fox could feel a sliver of hope that everything between them would be okay, as long as he completed his promise. Fox glanced at Krystal's eyes, now they looked rejuvenated and full of color. Fox felt Krystal's hand on his face and nuzzled into it. His smile started to grow.

Krystal could feel a new fuel of determination start to build in him, but it needed something to ignite it. She knew exactly what to do. She leaned forward and gave Fox a small kiss. Fox went wide eyed before closing them and returning the kiss.

Their small dance felt like it lasted forever, so much that the doctor reentered the tent. He was looking down at his chart before glaring up and seeing the two foxes in a private session. He quickly turned around and walked out the tent to wait a little more.

Neither heard the doctor come in or out as they were too focused on each other and the movements of their lips. Fox knew he couldn't push more, so Krystal was the one who pushed. She bullied her tongue through Fox's teeth and began fighting with his tongue. Fox was almost at loss of breath at this point and had to break it to not pass out.

There was a small suction between them, so when they broke, the entire tent was filled with a small popping sound, then it was filled with both foxes breathing. Fox was wincing from the pain in his side. Krystal lightly placed her hand where she thought his ribs were broken and looked up at him. Fox felt her touch and it somewhat soothe him a little. He leaned forward and placed a hand on her cheek.

"I'll be back."

Krystal returned the gesture and touched her forehead with his.

"I'll be waiting."

Fox felt the emotion in Krystal's voice when hearing those words. She was willing to wait for him to return. He needed to deliver on his promise and destroy the ape that has caused both of them pain beyond imagine.

Fox began to stand up and could hear engines starting up outside the tent. Figuring it was time to leave, Fox gave an assuring nod to Krystal and jogged out of the tent. Krystal watched him jog out and she slipped back under the blankets, making sure Fox's jacket was snug around her.

Fox exited the tent to see the doctor standing outside and had the clipboard shielding from Solar. He heard Fox come out and turned around.

"Make sure she's okay."

Fox turned the corner and out to the where the Great Fox was, not letting the doctor answer him back. Fox met with Peppy and Bill who were talking with each other from the tent they were in. They heard Fox approaching and they turned to him.

"Fox. General Pepper has been notified about Andross." Bill said. "He's prepared for another attack at Venom at your notice."

"We're going now." Fox said after Bill finished his sentence.

"Wait. You mean like now, now?" Bill had to lift his visor as if to understand what Fox said.

"Yes. Now. And you're coming with us. Get your Husky and Bulldog squads ready. Tell Pepper we're taking off and to send damage control to Sauria." Fox ordered Bill.

"Uh, okay" Bill reentered the tent to let Pepper know about a change of plans.

Fox was walking fast, so Peppy had to run to catch up to him. Fox didn't see the cargo door lowered on the Great Fox, so he loudly banged on the doors so that Falco could hear him. Peppy caught up to him and was out of breath.

"Fox," Peppy panted. "what are we doing?"

"Going right at Venom." Fox said without emotion.

The large cargo doors unhooked and began to lower slowly. Fox and Peppy walked to the side to allow the doors to fall all the way and a small thud was issued to the ground. Fox lunged up with one leg and used the other to push himself up on the slant and entered the hangar. Peppy had to walk around to the front and walk up the ramp.

"Fox. You still haven't given a plan." Peppy said, jogging up to him.

Fox stopped in the middle of the hangar. He looked up to the second deck and saw Katt there motioning something to Falco, who was on one of the Arwings to the far left. Fox turned around and looked Peppy dead in the eyes.

"It's simple. I'm going to kill him."

Peppy took a few moments to process what Fox said before Fox turned back and started to walk up the stair to the second deck.

"Hold on there, Fox!" Peppy shouted

It made Fox stop walking and turn back to him. Falco and Katt both stopped what they were doing and peeked over to see what was going to happen between the two. Falco got out of the Arwing to get a better look.

"Pep. You know how personal this is for me."

"Yes, I understand that. But I can't just let you run into Venom like that." Peppy was trying his case. "I made a promise over your father's grave that I wouldn't let you run off doing something like that. When you blasted off with General Pepper in that portal, I was running a muck just hoping nothing happened to you."

Fox did remember back to that day. When Pepper revealed that Venom was a giant teleportation device. The general went into the portal knowing well where it would lead, and Fox followed without thinking about it.

Then Peppy brought up his concern for Fox. How he made a promise on his dad's grave. Fox had never told Peppy about what really happened that day. When he saw his father save him from Andross, the sacrifice that a father would make for his son never waned with James.

"I did what I needed to do. I know my dad would understand that. You understand that too, Pep. As for your promise," Fox took in a deep breath. "It's something that you and I both need to fulfill. I made a promise, as well, and I intend to do it. No matter what."

Peppy scrunched his eye together and got closer to Fox. "Are you talking about Krystal?"

Fox shrugged. "Who else would I be talking about, Pep."

Peppy started to rub his fingers on the wrinkles between his eyes and nose. Peppy thought this was going to turn out the same as with his former girlfriend. He'll get distracted with trying to keep them safe and it'll cost him a wing or maybe worse. Fox could see the worry course through Peppy's face. He placed on hand on Peppy's shoulder.

"Pep, I made Krystal this promise. I know you know about her home planet. What happened that day, and how we weren't fast enough to stop him." Fox took another breath. "That's my promise to her. I need to do this so he can't spread his terror to other planets like he did with hers."

After Fox finished that sentence, Slippy came rushing in from the emergency stairs. The chubby toad had to catch his breath and he was wheezing when exiting from the stairs.

"Jeez, Slip. Learn how to breath." Falco said as he looked back.

"The plot… to Venom… is done." Slippy took in another breath and started to compose himself. "It may take… a few hours to… get there." Slippy cleared his throat. "It was the safest route without destroying the Great Fox."

Fox gave Slippy and nod and turned to Falco and Katt. "How are the Arwings?"

"The brakes needed some working on since your little stunt required us to stop suddenly. Katt and I were able to get them down with a little elbow grease." Falco bumped Katt with his hip.

Katt acknowledged it and turned to Fox. "All your ships are good to go. Nothing but a little Katt touch couldn't help. I'll also join you on your trip to Venom. I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Wasn't going to tell you otherwise." Fox chuckled at Katt's assertiveness.

The only one left who needed to be on board was Peppy. Everyone turned to him and Peppy was put on the spot. Peppy let out a gargled sigh and rolled his eyes. He walked next to Fox and gave him a hard pat on the back, more of a slap.

"If you somehow don't make it, tell your father it was your idea. Hopefully it won't come to that." Peppy stood next to Slippy.

Fox rubbed the part that Peppy slapped and looked back to the rest of his team. Falco, Katt, Slippy, and Peppy all eyed him and Fox stood at attention.

"This may be a one-way trip for all of us. I know all of you know what is at stake here. Lylat is going to be counting on us, even if they don't know that Andross is back. I know Pepper will get us the support we need when we're heading to Venom. No matter what happens, and when we get through this, know that I am honored to be flying with amazing pilots."

Slippy had small, but happy, tears forming on the side of his eyes. Falco had his arms crossed and had an assuring grin. Katt had her trademark wink flying to Fox, and Peppy was holding in something, but it didn't last because a large smile was growing on his face.

"Just like his father." Peppy whispered to himself.

Fox turned serious. "Now. Let's go kill that son of a bitch."

* * *

A/N: We're entering the final stretch. Looking forward to finishing this story on a good and high note.

I mentioned before I joined "The Foxhole" and I've been talking with some amazing writers on there. We've been talking through voice chat and overall having a good time. So come on in and join us. The link is in my bio.

#BerylliumGang

Until then, Stabby out.


	25. Chapter XXV

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter XXV

In what felt like the wait of the ages, the Great Fox was drifting along the outer rifts of Lylat. Fox had only gone this far once, during the battle over Cerinia. Though they wouldn't be going through the actual sight of the battle, that was on the other side of Lylat, it reminded Fox what the main emphasis of stopping Andross was all about.

That he doesn't reach powers of that magnitude ever again. To possess a planet-destroying weapon and to test it on an innocent civilization that had nothing to do with the previous war. It was evident to Fox that they get to Venom so Lylat wouldn't have to fall into Andross' clutches for what seemed like the one hundredth time.

As the Great Fox was coming closer to its intended target, Fox had a diagram of Venom courtesy of Corneria and General Pepper. Peppy was so caught up in Fox's speech earlier in the day, that he completely forgot about the support Pepper would give Fox during their trip to Venom. Bill was well behind them, but catching up fast.

"Only way to get into Venom is the front door." Fox said looking over the plotted topography of Venom.

"Ya think he's got more goons waiting for us?" Falco leaned against the console.

Fox thought of it as a possibility. He imagined a group of forgotten Venomians waiting for Andross' arrival and would go all out to ensure that their leader would be safe while he recovers.

"I don't think that's not one outcome." Fox said after his thoughts. "That doesn't matter. We're breaking in no matter what."

Just then, an established link came through the Great Fox's comms. ROB was quick to make the connection and was able to trace its location.

"General Pepper is on the line." ROB announced.

"Put him on the hub." Fox ordered.

ROB began to relink the comms to the holodesk that everyone was around. The comm came through, but it wasn't a full body transmission, just Pepper's voice. After the battle on Corneria, Fox knew it would take some time to get their main communications running again, so they were using their backups.

"Fox. Can you hear me?" The general's frantic voice finally said.

"We can hear you, general." Fox answered.

Fox heard the old bloodhound let out a sigh of relief.

"We were so worried about you takeoff back to Sauria. And then to hear Bill say that… he is back."

Fox could hear the worry in Pepper's voice. "I know general. I did all that I could to stop that from happening."

"While we're on that topic, it's about the matter of Colonel Fetcher. Bill told me what happened."

Fox knew something like this was going to come. Even though Falco did save him, there were going to be some repercussions about the killing of a rogue ranked official. Fox was going to make his case the minute they returned to Corneria and defend Falco and his actions.

"I would rather not talk about that now, general." Fox got a notice that Venom was no more than five minutes out.

The two hour journey from Sauria to now felt like a living hell for Fox, who spent most of the trip in his office trying to plan maneuvers and getting an overall feel from the plant the last time he was there. Only thirty minutes out from Venom, did Fox emerge from his office.

Fox looked out to the deck's panoramic windows and could see the brown dwarf planet slowly getting larger. He thought back to when he had to get Star Wolf off his back, now Wolf was one of the reasons Pepper was still alive. The illusions he went through before his battle with Andross shook Fox internally that he coughed to get himself back to reality.

"Have you reached Venom? I've sent the remainder of our ships to assist you."

Fox got another incoming transmission and recognized it to be Bill's line. Fox merged the comms together.

"Bill, we got General Pepper on here." Fox told him, as if to be on his best behavior.

"Oh, general. Um, we've just about caught up with Star Fox. We can see Venom and the Great Fox coming up." Bill said.

Fox put down the comms and brought up the Great Fox's radar. He could see a total of twenty-five blue triangles approaching the Great Fox.

"Yeah, we see you on radar, Bill. Hope your Husky and Bulldog crews are ready for a good one." Fox put down the radar and brought up the comms.

"We can barely see Venom on the screen. How much fire are we expecting?"

"Not sure, maybe a couple of fighters, but I think they sent everything on the attack at Sauria." Fox brought up the Great Fox's radar again and started to sweep for incoming bogeys.

"Fox. Our feeds are still shaky, so I'll tell you this one time." Pepper's feed almost got cut and reestablished. "I'm giving your team execute authority to stop Andross, by any means necessary."

Fox looked around to the rest of his team and were not surprised by Pepper's order.

"Lylat is not aware of this, but soon they will be. Don't let them be living in fear again." As soon as Pepper finished his sentence, the Great Fox's sirens went off.

Fox looked at the radar to see about twenty fighters flying towards them. Fox wasn't sure if this was all they had or if there were more on Venom's surface. It didn't matter because they needed to get through this so they could reach the surface.

"Gotta go general. Venom knows we're here." Fox said.

"Reinforcements should be there shortly." Pepper's feed was starting to break.

"Got it." Fox cut the feed and turned to his team. "Are you all ready?"

The four pilots nodded their head simultaneously and Fox motioned his head to follow and they all sprinted out the Great Fox's deck. ROB did them a favor and began to start the Arwings so they could be ready for takeoff when they arrived.

Stars Fox made quick haste running down the emergency stairs. When they reached the hanger, some of the Venom fighters were shooting at them. The emergency alert sounded saying that the mothership was under attack, but the defense shield were holding.

Katt went to her Kattillac and Falco helped in unhooking the straps. The cargo doors began to lower and Falco and Katt could better see the Venom fighters coming for another pass. They began firing at them, but the lasers would deflect due to the shield. They could see the fighters coming around for another pass, but were being chased by Bill and his crew.

"Fox!" Bill's voice came through the ship's PA. "We'll handle the ships in the air. You can go down planet side." The feed was cut and Fox looked out to see Bill's teams taking on the Venom soldiers.

"I'll help them," Katt yelled out. "This is more of your guy's fight."

"You sure," Fox called back. "We could always use another good pilot in the front line."

"Save some of that quirk for when you get back to your girl, Foxy." Katt gave him a wink.

Fox started to grow a little red and looked back down at his console, he started flipping switches in an attempt to look busy, but the Arwings were already primed. Falco looked back at Katt, who was squinting her eyes at him.

"What're you lookin' at?" Falco said trying to read Katt's expression.

Katt reverted her eyes to normal and jumped into her cockpit. "Were you having any plans after this?"

Falco looked back and slid down next to Katt's open cockpit. "We were supposed to be done before the whole Sauria incident happened, so I'm guessing no." Falco's face turned into a concerned look. "What are you planning?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Katt asked with a flirt and a hungry gaze.

Falco reverbed back and tried to match Katt's gaze has best as he could. He turned back to see Fox, Slippy, and Peppy were all in their Arwings getting situated. Before Falco could answer back, another announcement came from ROB on the PA.

"New activity coming from Venom." The robot's monotone voice piped in. "The planet's surface heat signature is slowly rising. Scanners show an area of origin is the sufficient location."

Fox got the location from ROB and could see that it was a large area that was hidden underneath the smog of Venom. The fighters outside tried doing another round of firing at the Great Fox. Any ship that got close would be shot down by either Bill's team or would fly up or down to avoid direct contact with the Great Fox.

"Falco," Fox shouted his direction. "We have to go!" Fox sat back in the Arwing. He checked his preflight list for the fifth time to ensure everything was working, and to see if Falco and Katt took their time to fix it.

"Catch ya later, pussycat…" Falco was cut off due to Katt giving him a small kiss on the beak. Falco almost fell off of Katt's cockpit, but was able to catch himself.

"Good luck out there, blue boy." Katt lightly pushed Falco away from the closing canopy and started up her Kattillac.

Falco jumped down when he felt Katt starting to hover above the ground and started to run back into the hangar to let her exit. Falco saw the trail of smoke that was left on either side of her wings. The smoke disappeared as did Katt into the starry emptiness of space.

More Venom fighters were attempting a run into the Great Fox, but were being shot at by the Cornerian forces. Falco started to dash his way back to the stair and up the second deck. He passed by Slippy and Fox's Arwings, already seeing them fixed in with their canopies closing.

Falco jumped into his primed Arwing. He fixed his headset on himself and flipped a couple of switches and, per usual, ignored his preflight checklist. Falco looked over to Fox, who was checking his list for the eighth, ninth, he probably lost count at this point. Falco switched the comms to his Arwing open.

"Alright, all strapped in." Falco said as his canopy began to lower.

Fox snapped out of his checklist rush and looked around at his surroundings. He took in a deep breath and held his eyes shut. He thought about the recent events that led up to right now. Andrew's attack in Corneria, the revival of Andross and finally, the promise he made to Krystal.

Killing Andross and returning to her with the news was the one thing that was on his mind. He also knew that everyone in Lylat would also be counting on them, even if they didn't know it. Fox opened his eyes with his mind set and his body ready. He fired up his engines and so did the rest of the team.

Fox went serious and with a loud voice, announced his presence to Venom. "Boys. Let's rock and roll!"

All the Arwings powered up and one by one were catapulted towards to brown dwarf planet. Fox felt the g-force being propelled onto him and later saw the hangar of the Great Fox fly behind him as he was catapulted into the empty void of space. The Arwing's engines expelled all the force it could muster and they all piloted down to Venom.

Fox radioed to Bill to inform them. "Bill, we're headed down to Venom. You get those guys from hitting the Great Fox and coming down for us."

Fox switched the transmission to Bill's comm and a few seconds later, and flying through the thick atmosphere of Venom, he received a message from Bill.

"We got you, Fox. Get down there and take care of that Andross." The transmission was cut after and Fox went back to the team's comms.

The green-brown clouds filled the entire window. Fox feared about the thickness that he wouldn't be able to see the ground beneath him and crash into it. They reached to bottom of the clouds, only to be greeted with another set of smog, the same color as the clouds. At least they were able to see where they were going this time.

"Visibility may get clear once we reach our destination," Fox said. "Until then, stay in formation. We don't know how many are out there, so they may have the advantage."

Fox's Arwing was scanning their surroundings, but there was no bogey in sight. Fox didn't want it to be this easy, but if it was, then he'd have no objections. The radar was giving off the constant beep after each sweep. No fighters were coming, but Fox did get a new update from ROB on the Great Fox.

"Venom's surface temperature has not changed since your departure." ROB's voice came through. "Cornerian forces have arrived to help with Bill's team."

Fox let out a sigh of relief. Having some backup to lessen his workload would make taking down Andross a lot smoother. The radar began beeping and Fox looked down to see five enemy bogeys coming there way. Fox thought to himself as this being the final line of defense until the reached Andross' base.

"Got five fighters coming our way," Fox announced. "Break and let's take them out quickly."

"Roger." All of Fox's teammates said and they all broke apart to pick out a target.

Arwings and Venom fighters converged into a small fight above the Venom's surface. Fox went ahead and took the leader of that pack. The fighter flew upward and Fox was following suite. Falco and Slippy took the one each on the left side and Peppy went for the one on the right. The last Venom fighter followed behind Fox.

Fox followed his fighter and the smog looked like it was rising. Visibility would make fighting them difficult, but Fox thought about an advantage for himself.

"Fox, you got one on your tail," Falco yelled out.

"Thanks for the heads up." Fox looked back to see the lone fighter coming after him. This was going to cause some problems for him.

Falco was following his fighter and taking shots whenever he was lined up. The fighter was was dodging Falco's shots, which infuriated the avian. The fighter did a somersault over him and Falco attempted to follow the ship, but was almost caught in the crossfire of Peppy.

"Yo, old timer. Get your vision checked before you shoot." Falco yelled out.

"You're the one who got in my way," Peppy yelled back.

Peppy chased his target and his target was chasing Slippy. So, it was a row of Venom and Star Fox pilots in a line shooting each other at will's end. Peppy had to make a u-turn to fly back and chase after Falco's pursuer.

Fox's Target wasn't making it easy on him. From the dodges and maneuvers it was pulling, Fox was thinking that they might be stalling to buy Andross more time to do something. That something was not what Fox wanted.

"Guys, they may be stalling us," Fox said.

"What makes you think that?" Peppy questioned, firing some shots at Falco's chaser but missing.

"Just a quick hunch," Fox looked behind him. "Got a runner on me. Little help?"

Fox looked out his window and saw the line that his team and the Venom fighters were forming. He turned back to the one in front and took a few shots. The lasers grazed both wings, but enough to cause the ship to fall a few feet down.

"I'm guessing that's a no," Fox sarcastically said.

Fox thought it not to keep chasing the injured fighter and went to focus on the one following him. He u-turned to get back into the action. The radar began emitting a constant line. Fox looked back down underneath the smog and could see the traces of a building. It was hidden well, and Fox was sure this is where Andross was.

"Guys, we're right on top of the base! ROB! Any updates?"

Fox waited for the robot to respond. In the meantime, Fox went left around his chaser and the fighter was attempting to follow Fox in his route, but Fox quickly turned on his axis to sharpen the turn and get his shot quickly. Fox connected and the fighter's wing was shot off and the ship fell into the smog before Fox saw a small fireball emerge.

"A major spike has been detected within the base you are over." ROB came through. "Energy levels are rising at a steady pace."

Fox couldn't see beneath him to get an accurate look at what was happening. However, he did see a white light pulsing where the base was. Fox couldn't wait any longer, he needed to get inside fast. The only problem we're the other fighters his team was facing.

He knew they could take them down no problem, but as this being their first time to Venom, complications could arise if they try navigating around the base and the surrounding areas. Fox went around and saw the fighter that was wounded coming back for more. The line of Venom and Star Fox was still in its formation.

"Got yourself a nice little line party going there guys," Fox joked.

"Har har, you plan on helping anytime?" Falco said annoyingly.

The line was shooting one at a time at the ship in front of them. Fox could feel the fighter coming around for him, so he quickly somersaulted. Knowing that the pilot would be unable to do maneuvers that intense, Fox would have the advantage in coming straight down and unleashing hell it.

And that's exactly what he did.

Once Fox was a at a higher level, he shot back down and rained fire on the poor soul. The ship exploded after a few hits and Fox flew through the smoke. Fox looked to see that one Arwing was able to get rid of one tailing the other. Seeing this opportunity, Fox decided to make the call.

"I'm headed into the base." Fox said to his team. "I assume you can handle to rest of these punks."

Fox began to lower his Arwing slowly. The visibility was getting denser as he lowered. The Arwing landed with a small thud and Fox searched around for his special compartment under his seat.

"Let us know if you need help," Peppy said.

"Will do." Fox shut down the comms and finally pulled out his emergency readiness kit.

The kit had a first aid kit, compass, and defibrillators. Most importantly, it had a gas mask fitted for himself. He wrapped the rubber around his muzzle and tighten the straps to his desired liking. He started to breath harder as he opened the respirator. Fox shut down the Arwing and his entire cockpit was cloaked in a green glow. Fox pulled the lever and his canopy opened.

Fox was met with a strong wind. The smog filled his Arwing, so Fox would have to sanitize it when he'd return. He jumped down on the surface and the ground was hard, almost as if you were walking on metal. The canopy began closing and Fox made his way to the entrance of Andross' base. The large engravings of his head with the sabers underneath really rubbed Fox the wrong way.

Fox could hear the fly overs from his team and the Venom fighters. He made quick work on opening the large doors. They creaked loudly and some smog seeped into the base. Once the doors were cracked open enough for Fox to squeeze through, he shut the doors and they echoed in the empty base as they closed.

"I made it inside." Fox's muffled voice said. He brought up his wristcomm and turned on the flashlight.

"We've almost taken down the remaining fighters," Slippy said. "We'll try and see if we can come down with you.

"No. I need to do this alone." Fox walked into the hallway and made it into the large common area. There were tables flipped over and chairs were thrown across the room. It looked like a raid came by here. Fox was thinking how the rush was when the remainder of Andross's army was feeling when they were in the final stages of this plan.

"Hey, Fox," Falco sounded a little peeved. "We're coming down to help."

"No," Fox said with a stern voice. "This is personal for me. I need to do this."

After that brief exchange on making his point made, Fox shut off his communications and walked into the dark room. Fox searched the room and couldn't find any source of direction to go. From what he could tell, the base looked big from above. So, trying to navigate the entire base by himself was going to be a challenge, especially since he was racing against time.

Fox brought his arm up and looked at the ceiling to find anything that could lead him to Andross. He heard creaks happening all around him, fearing that the base may collapse any minute. His footsteps echoed and his breathing was reverbing off the walls.

Fox was looking around that he wasn't aware where he was stepping. He slipped and fell back on some substance. He was lucky that there was no chair around for his head to hit. Fox rolled on his stomach and picked himself up. Once he was on his knees, he pointed his flashlight down and saw a thick, black substance.

Fox poked at it with two fingers and rubbed it against his thumb. He knew that this was the same substance that Andross was leaking. Fox got on his feet and searched where the substance was leading. He saw the trail was leading to the far end of the room. He jogged to the where the room was ending. Fox saw that the substance was going through the wall.

He looked for a way to open the wall and banged on it. He could hear the hollow hallway on the other side, so Fox knew that Andross was going down this path. He saw the line that extended from the top of the ceiling to the bottom of the floor. Fox dug his fingers into the line tried to pry it open. The metal creaked into the empty room and Fox's grunts turned into a yell as the supposed metal doors were not budging.

Fox removed his fingers and looked around for anything to help open the metal fissure. Fox felt the base start to shake violently. He caught himself on a downed chair and he saw some steel pipes falling above him. He quickly got the chair upright and ducked under it so that pipes would hit it instead of him.

The steel crashed below and scattered once it hit the floor. Fox had to cover his ears as it was too sensitive for him. When it died down, Fox crawled from under the chair and, by luck, found his ticket into the door. He grabbed one steel pipe and jammed it into the fissure. He had to shimmy it to fit the pipe before the fissure began to crack open. Fox then pushed pipe to pry the doors open. The metal creaked loudly and Fox was pushing with everything he had.

Once the doors reached its capacity of stress, the locks broke, and Fox dropped the pipe. He pushed the heavy doors to the side. He saw a trail of black mass leading into the dark hallway. Fox brought up his wristcomm and turned on the flashlight again. The black mass looked fresh. Fox went into the hallway and followed the mass.

Fox's search was ending as he heard a loud, pulsing alarm. Fox turned on his scanner on his wrsitcomm to see if there were any life-threatening substances in the air. The scan lasted a few seconds and it came back all-clear. Fox unfastened the straps to his mask and removed it from his head. He gasped loudly as he was able to breath normally.

The pulsing sound began to ring in Fox's ears. The sound was coming from the end of the hallway, and Fox could see a white light coming from the end. He realized it was coming down to this. Fox primed his blaster and was ready for anything that Andross was going to throw at him. He could see large dual doors at the end.

He reached the end of the hallway. The sounds of someone moving inside was made known. He could hear loud typing being overpowered by the pulsing sound. Fox gave one breath in and kicked the dual doors open.

Fox was first blinded by the light, but after he regained his vision, he could see the more prominent canister clearly. Something was floating in the canister. Fox saw clearly what was inside it.

A large body.

Fox almost dropped his blaster at the sight of the body growing in a cocoon-style sack. The head was prominent with the ape's trademark ears and hair. Fox looked around and saw the one lone ape with his back turned and working vigorously on his main console.

Fox was quick to bring up his blaster, but Andross was faster to turn around and shoot out black mass at Fox. The tod was able to roll dodge out of the way and was on a knee. He looked at Andross and saw the crazed look in those piercing red eyes.

Andross' neck was more exposed to the elements that when Fox last saw it. The esophagus was throbbing with every inhale Andross took. The flesh that was burned off was dangling from his neck and Fox could see that his eyes were now bloodshot.

"You've come to see my new creation?" Andross sounded astonished. "I'm honored. Seeing that everyone else is dead, this new body will rid me of this disgusting one and be the pure form that I've dreamt it to be."

Fox wasn't having any of this and started to fire at Andross. The lasers hit Andross' chest, but they seemed to not cause any significant damage. The ape just stumbled back and looked down. He patted his chest for any signs of holes or singes. Andross didn't feel anything and just had that malicious grin he always had.

"C'mon McCloud." Andross taunted. "You're not getting anywhere with that."

Fox started to unload lasers at Andross, ignoring if they were hurting him or not. With each shot, Fox was getting closer to Andross. Fox didn't slow down his shots until he got close. Andross saw Fox's blaster within reach and grabbed it, but Fox was expecting this. When Andross tried twisting the blaster from Fox's hand, Fox let his left hand off and back handed Andross with hit.

Hitting Andross was like slapping water, and it sounded like it too. It wasn't a pleasant sound that Fox was hearing, but he punched Andross again and out came that water sound effect. Andross ducked under the next thrown Fox threw and tried to tackle him to the ground. Fox felt himself being lifted and slammed onto the ground.

Andross walked over him and went straight to the console to continue working. Fox rolled over and lifted himself, with a small sting in his lower back. Andross was pushing buttons on the console and the machines were picking up on the inputs and were working overtime. They vibrated and the cocoon sack was moving in the canister.

Fox jumped forward and put his arm around Andross neck. "

The ape did feel a little pain from his exposed esophagus and Fox's chokehold became tighter. Andross elbowed Fox in the side a few times, but Fox didn't release. It wasn't until Andross grabbed his shirt from behind and flipped Fox over onto the console, did Fox release his hold.

Fox landed on the console with a loud bang and some sparks came flying out from under him. Fox groaned and Andross dragged Fox off the console and let him fall underneath him. Andross placed a foot on Fox's head.

"There's no stopping me," Andross started. "I've built everything that Corneria is today, and I am here to take it all back."

He picked Fox up by his scruff and punched him. "I devoted my life to that useless mutt, and he has the balls to exile me to this shithole!"

Andross slapped Fox. He stubbled before being grabbed by the muzzle. "I wasted countless hours perfecting what could have been my revelations. The very thought of being close to immortality was upon me."

Andross gave Fox a knee. "And I intend to do just that."

With all his power, Andross flung Fox by his muzzle to the other side of the room. Fox hit the ground with a loud thud and rolled a few good feet before stopping. Fox rolled on the ground and grabbed his arm. He felt a stinging sensation being throbbed in his body. He groaned as he was picking himself up.

Andross started to walk his way. Fox was using the nearby wall to pick himself up. Andross stood above Fox. The injured tod reached for his blaster, but Andross let out another punch to set him down. Fox's head bounced off the floor and Andross caught it.

"My perfect body is almost complete. I had a little prototype the first time you came around." Andross' grin grew wider. Fox was starting to bleed from his nose.

"You have no idea the power that I wield." Andross landed another punch. "Your life has meant nothing to me." Andross slammed Fox against the wall. He gave Fox a punch in the gut. Fox coughed up some blood and Andross was quick to avoid it.

"You're… going… to… die." Fox was able to breath out.

"Still on about that little blue slut?" Andross tilted his head.

Fox's ears and nose flared when he called Krystal that. Fox was attempting to get up, but Andross was looming over him, as if to stop him from standing.

"She'll throw you away when you're no good for them." Andross said. "I'd be doing you a favor here."

Andross grabbed Fox by the neck and slammed him to the ground. Fox gasped for air as he was leaning against the wall. Andross began to kneel in front of him. He placed one hand on his head and the other over his stomach.

"There's no stopping this, McCloud. I've returned and I'm never going away." Andross removed the hand on Fox's head, but kept the one on his stomach. Fox could feel something start to poke him. It was sharp and it started to pierce through his shirt. Fox realized what it was that was starting to pierce his skin.

Fox tried to squirm out of Andross' grasp, but he wasn't having it and didn't hold back. He Andross procured a long stake from his palm and impaled it into Fox's stomach. Fox yelled and tried to remove Andross' hand from him, but the ape wasn't budging. Andross had hat wicked grin that didn't alter.

"I will become god. Assume my place among those below me, and become immoratl." Andross said in triumph.

Fox groaned as the pain was starting to numb him. He felt Andross twisting the stake inside him, tearing at his insides. Andross felt Fox was still fighting back, so to finish this off, he placed his other hand over Fox's left pect.

Fox was attempting to remove Andross' hand, but the ape was to fast for him and another stake impaled Fox through his heart. Fox's eyes went wide and his breathing was getting shorter. He grabbed Andross arm, but his grip was getting weak that Andross didn't feel it.

"You had the same look your father had when I offed him." Andross twisted the stake in Fox's heart.

Fox grunted and he could feel a sharp pain overcome him. His breathing was getting softer and small trickle of blood was coming out of his mouth. His head was getting heavy and slowly falling on its side. Andross was pulled out the stake that was in his stomach and the damage was already visible.

Andross began to remove the stake from his heart, but it wasn't budging. Andross gave it a few tugs before it broke off. Fox felt the stake still in his chest. He tried to remove it, but he was getting weak every passing second. Andross stood and towered over the Fox, who was bleeding out of both wounds.

Andross knew the time for Fox's demise was close, so without any celebration, let Fox to lie there and let his time come. He continued his previous work on his console.

Fox couldn't feel anything. He was motionless and his eyelids were getting heavy. His vision was getting blurry and he could see a purple-blue haze starting to form a ring around his eyes before closing the space. His breathing was sparse, and he had a gargle due to the blood that was pouring out his mouth.

His hand fell with a silent thud and Fox's breathing had now stopped. His eyes were now staring at nothing and his entire body had stopped moving. In one final breath, Fox only had on thought on his mind before the purple-blue haze had enveloped him.

_Krystal. I'm sorry._

* * *

A/N:Dogfights aren't my strong suit, sorry if it felt rushed because I wanted to get to the gritty part.

Next chapter will be something else.

Until then, Stabby out.


	26. Chapter XXVI

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter XXVI

It sounded like wind was flowing through a warehouse.

The gentle howl of it was what woke up Fox. He slowly opened his eyes and blinked a few times to get his surroundings in order. He felt like he was laying down so when he tired standing, he just felt his legs kicking in the air.

Fox opened his eyes and saw a purple sky. He shook his head and sat upright. He placed his hands on his head and rubbed his temples. He felt his brain pulsing in his skull and that it wanted to escape its prison. Fox was dazed from the previous experience.

"Wait… am I…" Fox said as he looked at his hands.

The whole area he was in felt like he was on a cloud of some sort. Fox was slow to stand and his legs were shaking. He was about to fall over when he was able to catch himself. He stretched his arms out and he heard his back crack. The overall feeling in the area felt empty and hollow. Fox looked at the surrounding and didn't see any landmarks for miles.

He started to take small steps and it felt like tile floors. His boots would echo into the emptiness and after a few seconds, it would reverb back to him. Fox made a circle as he walked from his original spot. He was trying to find a point of interest to lead him to a landmark, or to anything.

Fox was going on and he felt like he was walking in circles. The area he was in was either going on forever or he was just walking in place. Either way, Fox felt himself slipping from his sane self. Each time he walked more, he felt like he was getting nowhere. It was starting to get on Fox's nerves. He wanted to yell but he couldn't.

Fox took in a breath and looked at his body. He couldn't see any marks from his battle with Andross…

Fox stopped there. He remembered what happened in the short time he was here. His previous life, was this the afterlife? Fox had so many questions that his head started to hurt. He felt his brain start pulsing again and he rubbed his temples. His mind started to bring back the recent chain of events. How he threw himself blindly to Andross' base. How quickly overpowered he was and now, trying to figure out where he is.

The tod was looking at his surroundings, but if he was told which way was left and right, he would have a tough time. The area stretched on forever and Fox was coming to the realization that he didn't want to believe.

His boots continued to echo and reverb to him. Fox stopped dead where he was and just tried to listen. Listened for anything, something, or someone. There was nothing around him, except for the low howl of wind, but Fox didn't feel any flowing on his fur. He started to get a headache from being here.

Was he trapped in some sort of limbo? Is this where everyone who met their fate goes to? Or was all this just in his head before the next step. Either way, Fox's head was throbbing, but the pain was dying down. He shook his head to get rid of any more pain and kept walking, that is if he was walking in the first place.

The purple color didn't change, so Fox wasn't sure if he was going anywhere. He felt like he was just repeating everything since he got here. Walking around and wondering if he was moving. Fox touched his chest and he could feel his body. He placed his hand where his heart was and did feel a steady beat. He was at least, what he thought, alive.

"So… what is this place?" Fox's voice echoed in the purple world.

If there was anything in here, he would hope that it would hear his voice. Fox heard his voice reverb back to him, asking the same question. He sighed as he thought that nothing else was coming.

"Just got to find something."

Fox felt like he was walking for hours, but he didn't feel tired. He felt the opposite. His mind was focused on figuring out where he was and how he can get back, if there was a way. The more he walked, the more frustrated he was getting. He was going nowhere and by now, he was about to break.

The only other thing that kept him going was another orange dot at the horizon, but Fox wasn't paying it much attention, until now. His face went blank as he saw a color that wasn't purple. A circle out in the distance, so Fox started to jog that direction. His jog turned into a run when he saw that the dot was getting bigger.

Fox turned into a sprint as he kept getting closer to the dot. Anything here was better than nothing, so Fox had to see this for himself. As the dot began to grow bigger, Fox slowed down. His eyes tried to adjust to what the dot was now morphing into. Fox could see the faint outline of a figure standing.

The figure was wearing a white jacket and green pants. It was identical to what Fox wears, except the jacket, it looked much older. Fox's vision was getting strained from looking at the figure for so long, that he decided to confront it.

"Um… what are you, and where am I?" It was the only thing Fox asked and it was enough to make the figure turn around.

Once the figure was facing Fox, his eyes went wide and he could see the reflections of his reaction in the sunglasses the figure was wearing. Fox took a step back and the figure had to do a double take on Fox.

"No. Not again." The figure finally spoke.

"Dad?" There was no doubt in Fox's mind that he was talking to his father, James McCloud.

"Stay back!" James went for his blaster and aimed it at Fox.

"Wait, dad! It's me!" Fox pleaded.

"I'm not falling for it again." James was aiming at Fox's head. "You just like messing with my mind. It's disgusting that you have to be my son."

Fox was totally confused. But it brought another thought. Something must have brought them here. James looked frantic, sweat was starting to seep out from his fur and the howling wind started to get intense.

"Dad. It really is me." Fox started to walk closer, but James didn't lower his blaster. Fox picked up his hands to show that he didn't mean no harm.

"Alright." James looked around, as if there was something coming for them. "When Fox and I went to see the Cornerian Crashers on his tenth birthday, which player gave him a signed baseball?"

Fox was thrown off by that. "Dad. You can't be…"

"Answer the question!" James' booming voice echoed.

Fox backed a little, but now he was starting to understand what he was doing. Questioning him and if he was the real Fox, then he'd give him the real answers. Fox had to think back to that day. It was a hot, summer evening. James surprised him with home plate tickets and on-field access.

"Um… it was…" Fox was having a tough time remembering. He knew that the player was a towering bear. That's when it snapped.

"Yogi Beara! The catcher." Fox yelled out.

There was a dead silence from them. James didn't move and Fox was hoping that his own father didn't pull the trigger.

"Okay. Next one." James said, but his blaster was lowering slightly. "For Fox's fifth Christmas, what did I give him?"

Fox had to think back to another earlier point in life. To when Fox was learning new colorful words, no thanks to father. But Fox made the sudden realization that it was the first Christmas without his mother.

"It was our first Christmas without mom. You wanted to make sure that I was happy during that time." Fox approached James slowly. "I knew that missing mom was a big hole for both of us, so you wanted to fill it, for my sake."

Fox slowly went up to James' blaster and lowered it. James breathing was getting heavy and it was getting clear to him that he was talking to his son.

"You got a pendant of us. I still have it. I carry it all the time, so I know that both of you are always with me." Fox let go and James put down his blaster. "Dad. It really is me."

James had to take a step back and give Fox a look over.

"Why? Why are you here?" James' voice was cracking.

"I went in blindly. I should have waited for my team, but…" Fox had sudden flashes of Andross over him. "He was too much for me. I failed everyone."

Fox began to sink down and buried his head in his hands. James knelt next to him and tried to comfort his son.

"No haven't failed, Fox. If it is true, why you're here, it'll make them fighting in your name that more meaningful. Ol' Peppy will make sure of that." James gave a small chuckle.

Fox just shook his head and looked up to him. He stood up and James followed him. Now there was the question as to why his own father was pointing a blaster at his own son. There must be something else that's been bothering James.

"So, you mind telling me why you were so trigger happy?"

James just gave a sigh and looked down at his blaster. "I wanted to make sure you weren't one of them."

"And define 'them'." Fox wanted more than just a simple sentence.

"It's really hard to explain without, you know, you have to see them for yourself." James scratched the back of his head.

As if on cue, both Fox and James heard a siren from the distance, and what sounded like trumpets. The sound echoed to them and it died as soon as it got to them. Fox could see in the distance a group of white dots coming close at an alarming rate.

"Looks like you'll get to meet them firsthand." James primed his blaster and aimed it towards the dots.

There were about five white dots. The dots started to gain a form and Fox was able to see what they were forming into. The white figures landed around them and Fox had a tough time trying to figure out what they were. They were slender and had a white cloak on them. They were carrying a long, silver staff and had small heads with small beaks.

Fox was lost and had to ask. "What are they?"

"Angels." James said.

Fox nodded, then did a double take to his father, his eyes were almost bulging out. "A-Angels?"

"Well, from what I can tell and their looks, I've labeled them as angels." James turned to face the two that were circling them. The angels had their staff at the ready and Fox reached down and gripped his blaster, but didn't pull it from its holster.

"Where's a witch when you need one?" Fox asked.

"Just strap your blaster to your boots and you'll be fine." James quipped back.

Fox held back a chuckle, but a small exhale came out. He looked around and saw the angels' staff were normal in appearance, though with his recent experience, it probably had a magical ambience to it. Both Fox and James waited for the angels to strike first.

Which they did.

With no warning, the angels attacked the foxes. Fox and James were quick to move out of the way and James fired into the pile that the angels were stacked on. One got hit and the pile of angels worked quickly to get off one another and go to whoever was shooting at them. Three went to James and the remaining two went to Fox.

Fox could see their staffs were normal and didn't have any powers to them, so that was one thing he didn't have to worry about. The main thing was the angels using them to hit Fox. He would evade them and eventually grabbed the staff and tried to strip it from the angel, but it had a hard grasp on it.

The angel pulled to get its staff back, but Fox went along with it and jumped and kicked it with both his boots. The angel still didn't let go and Fox fell on the ground and tumbled up. Fox could hear shots going off behind him, believing his father was shooting his way out of this. He heard a high pitch screech and that hurt his ears.

He covered one in grimace and quickly looked back. He could see that one angel was down and twitching before the white glow faded out. Fox turned back to the angels and swung aimlessly at Fox. He dodged to his left and brought up his blaster; he took a few shots at the exposed side of the closest angel.

The lasers hit the angel's side and it screeched in pain. Fox picked himself up and ran behind the one angel he shot. The other angel stood in front of Fox and gave him a good whack, since he wasn't expecting it.

Fox fell and the angel jumped on him. Fox blocked the angel's staff and started to fire his blaster. The lasers missed the angel and Fox flipped his blaster and used the grip to slap the angel. The angel stumbled off and Fox was able to take a few chest shots at the angel. It screeched loudly before falling back and the white glow around it disappeared.

The other angel swung his staff, but Fox rolled away and fired at it. The lasers grazed its arm, it fell back and Fox quickly got up and he threw a punch. Fox heard more shots from behind him, thinking his father had the other two angels dealt with.

The angel began blocking Fox's punches. So, Fox stopped him so that he could see what the angel was going to do next. It started using its staff to jab Fox in different parts of his body. Fox saw an opening for attack and didn't falter when he saw it. The angel used both hands to swing down, but Fox blocked it with his arms. It hurt like hell, but he was able to sweep under the angel's legs and yanked to staff out from it.

The angel fell and Fox looked at the staff. It was plain and silver, no defining features and looked like a standard issued one that Corneria would use.

"I know a blue vixen who's better with a staff than you are." Fox threw the staff away and pointed his blaster at the angel and didn't hesitate to fire at it.

The angel did spasm for a while before it gave way. The white glow around it dimmed and Fox turned back to see his father making use on the last angel. He was trying to wrestle the staff away, but was struggling due to his age, so Fox decided to be a good son and help him out.

Fox got the angel in a chokehold and James was able to strip the staff away. Fox let go and they both gave the angel a good roundhouse. It fell on its knees and James got his blaster and shot at it. The angel fell forward and the white glow disappeared. Both Fox and James were panting from the recent event that took place.

"The hell did we just do?" Fox panted out.

"We… we took out some angels." James was trying to catch his breath.

"I get that. But why?" Fox stood up and placed his hands on his hips. "Do they take us somewhere?"

"I haven't the faintest and I don't want to know," James said, bending over and placing his hands on his knees.

_All in good time, Fox McCloud._

The voice echoed in the area. Fox and James were quick to get their blasters ready for another attack.

_It has been a while since I last saw you, if you remember me._

"I don't think I've had the pleasure," Fox said, trying to find where the voice was coming from.

_You have. Let's say fate has brought us here. You visited me, on Sauria._

Fox tried to piece together the little details that the voice was giving him. He met a bunch of EarthWalkers on Sauria, but he didn't hear about any of them dying when he was there. He never ventured out to the neighboring tribes to see what their kinds were like.

_I told you the process, and it seems that it has become a reality._

The process. Fox's face was puzzled during this, but then it was clicking to him. He did meet something at Sauria. It did tell him the process, and now that it has become a reality, Fox finally realized what was speaking to him.

"You're the Krazoa. The one that was underneath the altar."

_You've put that together nicely. Have you pieced together where you are?_

The Krazoa's words made it sound like it knew the answer. Fox hadn't a clue to where he was or what to do, so he just wanted answers from the source.

"No, I don't know where I am." Fox raised his voice. "And I'm not in the mood for games, so why don't you just tell me."

There was an ambient silence. Hardly anything was moving or making a sound. Fox listened for something, but only heard silence.

_This is your thoughts, Fox McCloud._

"My thoughts?" Fox looked around.

_Yes. Your current state is in a rebuilding stage. Your body was damaged in your previous encounter with a certain revived figure. This Andross as they call him, he has been an interesting figure to watch._

Fox started to jog away from his father, trying to find where the Krazoa could be. His search was getting him nowhere and now James was following. Fox did feel like he was running in circles and stopped his jog. James came next to him and panted his way up to Fox.

"Krazoa? What is that?" James asked.

"It's a little difficult to say right now." Fox looked around for the Krazoa.

_Why is it difficult to describe me to your father? In case you're wondering, those weren't what you call angels. This is all a figment inside your mind Fox._

"Figment? What are you talking about?" Fox was tired of the Krazoa toying like this.

_You are not dead. Your body is badly damaged and is currently being restored. You need time to heal before you get sent back._

"So, I'm not dead and my body is healing. But what are we fighting?"

_You talk as if your father is really here. He is not real, just an illusion from your mind being projected in here._

Fox looked at his father who was trying to piece what the Krazoa was saying. "I'm not real?"

This was all confusing for Fox. He wanted answers to what was going on. The last thing he wanted was some all-powerful being to be sassy with him.

"What is going on? I'm not asking again!" Fox's voice echoed and the area was silent again. The Krazoa's voice echoed again and Fox was finally going to get answers.

_The process in which you partook in, is incomplete, or shall I say broken._

"Broken. How?" Fox put his blaster in his holster.

_Do you not remember my words? "The one willing will be raised and its vessel will be pure." Those words. As I recall, you were the one willing._

Fox did remember that he did volunteer himself, to save Krystal. It was a thought he didn't want to remember, but it was vital to what was going to happen next. Falco came in to save him and shot Fetcher. Thus, Fetcher's body was used to bring Andross back.

"I did give myself for the whole thing. Is there something I'm missing?"

_The process called for someone to be willing, which was you. Since the one who was body Andross currently occupies did not willingly give himself, there is a way you can loop around it. There is something inside both of you that can defeat him. _

Fox heard the Krazoa's words and thought about it. If there was a loophole that the Krazoa created, then there was a possibility that Andross could be killed. A sliver of hope washed over Fox's face, but there was the problem of Fox in his supposed mind.

"How do I get out of here?" Fox questioned.

_These angels you've been fighting have been your troubles, your demons so to speak. You need to defeat them in order to be pure again. You are almost done, but there is one more you need to face._

The Krazoa's voice died down when it said those words. Fox felt a shiver go down his spine and he turned back to his father. James was trying to process the same thing that Fox was hearing. James rubbed his muzzle and went under his sunglasses to rub his eyes.

"I'm apparently a figment of your mind," James said. "This is all in your head, and now you have to fight your literal demons to get out."

Fox nodded. "Seems like it."

"I never thought my son would have demons at this age." James stretched his arms.

"And yet, here we are." Fox groaned out.

"You really need to work out your stuff when you get back." James massaged his neck.

In the distance they heard another pair of screeches. Both Fox and James turned to where it was coming from. Fox could see just one white dot coming from the horizon. He and his father were ready for whatever it was that was coming. Only then, did the white dot turn into a different color.

The dot turned into a darker shad of orange and a low glow engulfed them. Fox and James covered their eyes as the light was bright for either of them. The light died down and the two got their blasters ready and aimed it at the light. However, once the light finally died, they saw who was standing in front of them. Fox and James were shaking at the sight.

"Fox. James. It has been a while." The voice of the vixen soothed them.

"Vixy?" James had to take off his sunglasses to make sure they weren't deceiving him.

She gave off a cute smile towards her husband. The same smile James fell for all those years ago. James slowly walked up to her and Vixy reached out and grabbed his hand. James felt her fingers slip through his and he closed his hand tightly to make sure she was there.

Fox started to walk next to James and looked at his mother. Vixy noticed his son and also reached out to him. Fox also reached out and felt his mother's touch.

"You've grown so much. I wish I could have been there to see it." Vixy's voice didn't sound sad, she sounded joyful.

"What are you doing here, mom?" Fox had tears forming.

"I am not what this being calls your demon, Fox. If that's what you're worried about. But there's one thing that you need to cleanse yourself in order to return back home." Vixy took a tight hold on James' hand and there was a soft glow coming from it.

James looked down at his hand and saw the glow emanating. James' face looked less strained and more relaxed. Fox was starting t get what was going on and wanted to say a few words to his mother and father.

"It has been tough not having you two there. I guess it means that all the problems that have mounted are because I needed some guidance." Fox closed his eyes.

James placed his free hand on Fox's shoulder and Vixy used the back of her hand to pet Fox's cheek. Fox felt the parental touch from them and felt their love flow through him. Fox opened his eyes and jumped forward to wrap them in a hug. Fox started to tear up, but composed himself.

"Your father and I will always be with you." Vixy started. "The next time you feel lost, look up to the sky and we'll guide you. Isn't that right, James?" Vixy looked over to her husband.

"You've grown into a fine pup, Fox." James gave Fox's shoulder a squeeze. "Like your mother said, we'll always be there."

Fox could feel their hold getting weak. He leaned back to see that both his mother and father were starting to disappear. James put back his sunglasses and Vixy rolled her eyes.

"You always have to look cool," Vixy said, interlocking her arm with his.

James gave a chuckle. "And you always have to look cute."

"Oh, hush you." Vixy turned away before looking back at her son.

Fox looked at them; a smile forming. Even in the end, they were still together.

"You have to go back, Fox." James said. "Everyone needs you. Do right by them, and make Lylat proud." James picked up his sunglasses and stared at Fox. "Especially that blue vixen."

James gave a wink and lowered his sunglasses.

"Vixen?" Vixy's eyes went wide and stared at Fox with interest. "Who's this vixen your father's talking about, and blue?"

Fox started to stammer in his words. "S-She's not… nothing's going on… we're just good friends."

"Nothing's going on?" James asked with rising voice. "If I recall, you were quite handsy with her."

"Handsy?" Vixy looked at Fox with a disgruntled look.

"Dad!" Fox had red forming on his cheeks.

James laughed. "I'm pulling your tail, Fox." James' laugh died down when he saw the look on Fox's face. "Wait, did you really?"

Fox didn't say anything, but James face was anything from disappointed.

"Attaboy Fox." James gave Fox a punch on the arm.

"James!" Vixy obviously didn't like what she was hearing.

"I gotta give my boy some props, hun."

Fox wrapped his hands around his muzzle and shook his head. "Even in death, you find a way to irritate me."

James placed his hand on Fox's head and Fox looked up. "Even in death, I'm still your father. And I won't relinquish that role."

"James."

He looked back and saw that Vixy was slowly disappearing. James looked down at himself and saw that he was slowly becoming transparent. He looked back at Fox and then went to his wife to join her.

"We love you, Fox." Vixy said.

"Don't ever give up, Fox." James said.

With that, James and Vixy vanished slowly from Fox. However, Fox didn't feel sad, he felt relieved. For the most part, seeing his parents was a great way to cleanse himself of any impending doubts and concerns he had. Fox had his mind cleared and set on one thing.

_You have made peace with your parents, Fox McCloud. There is one thing left that I believe you need to do. _

Fox knew what it was. The Krazoa knew what it was. And eventually, Lylat would know what it was.

_This is your mind at peace. Everything that has happened before this has been building to this moment. You will return to your world with a new set goal and I hope you will make good of that._

"I will." Fox answered.

_Then it is complete. _

Fox felt a force go through him, as if he was being hit by a bolt of lightning. The ground beneath him was gone and Fox was now floating in the air, but moving his arms and legs felt like he was in water. The purple background was slowly turning white.

Fox felt comfort in the white that was now enveloping him. His breathing became rhythmic and he closed his eyes. The last thing he saw was the white covering him like a warm blanket.

* * *

A/N: We're almost there guys. A later than usual upload, but you know, work and shit. Before you comment, there was a MLB player named Yogi Berra (google him). It's not a play on the cartoon bear.

Until then, Stabby out.


	27. Chapter XXVII

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter XXVII

The sound of electricity is what was getting Fox's attention.

Everything was violently shaking. Fox was slow to open his eyes and take in his surroundings. It felt like something was holding him down. Fox started to pick his head up and it was heavy for him. His eyelids were droopy that it was difficult to open them.

The electricity was surging throughout the entire area and Fox was doing his best to pick himself up. The next thing he knew, Fox felt something sharp in his chest. The jerky movement from the sharpness is what jolted Fox up. He let out a gasp as he started to breath.

Fox tried to get his surroundings in order, but the shaky room wasn't doing him any favors. Fox groaned as he tried to pick himself up. He felt the sharpness flow throughout his body and cried out. His voice was drowned due to the other surrounding noises. The pulsating sound of energy filled the entire room. A bright light blinded Fox for a while before he realized where he was.

Fox flexed his fingers on his right hand. He felt his palm and could feel it starting to get warm. He clenched his fist and released it. Fox looked to his left and saw a large, black stake inside him. Fox eyed it with a shaky breath and brought his left hand to try and pull it out. The stake was moving, but it was impaled deep.

The electricity began to pick up. Fox looked up to see the silhouette of someone standing at the console. It didn't take long for Fox to recognize who it was standing there. Andross worked the console like the mad ape he was. Computers were flashing, the room was filled with a smell of burnt flesh, and the entire base was shaking underneath Fox.

Fox returned his gaze to the stake. He grabbed it with his hand and pulled with all his strength. The stake was moving slowly out, but it was stuck in. Fox brought his other free hand and grabbed it and started to pull.

The stake started to move out slow and Fox started to wiggle it out of his chest. Fox groaned as he pulled harder. The stake was coming loose and Fox felt a shock surge throughout his body. Fox was afraid that his noises would alert Andross. He took a quick glance at where Andross was standing and saw that he was too focused on his console.

Everything was shaking underneath Fox. But he couldn't focus on that, he needed to get this stake out of his chest. He pulled with all his might and managed to pull the entire stake out. Fox let out a sharp yell and quickly covered his mouth, trying not to alert Andross.

Fox was breathing heavily and felt a stinging sensation where the wound was. He looked it over, and was shocked and confused to see that there was no blood coming out. He patted his chest down and went to the other wound that Andross left him. Again, he was confused to see that there was a wound, but not a gaping, disgusting one. It was more of a healed one, but the color was what threw Fox off.

The wound looked like a skid mark across his stomach. It was black in color, but it had the same texture of his fur. Maybe just a color disorder. Fox didn't need to worry about that now. He placed the stake next to him and started to pick himself up. Fox grimaced as his legs were barely waking up.

Fox tried to feel for anything to grab on the wall, but didn't feel anything. Suddenly, the base stopped shaking. Fox looked up to see Andross back away from the console and put his hands to his side. Andross walked back to the console and typed on the keyboard.

"My beautiful creation," Andross said. He placed a hand on the glass.

Fox decided to suck it up if we wanted to end it here. He bent his legs and used the wall as leverage. He pushed himself upwards and shifted his legs under him. He pushed off the wall and regained his balance. He looked at his surroundings, getting a small dizzy spell and seeing some dots in his eyes before they returned to normal.

He blinked a few times and the room was dimly lit. He looked at his hands and could see them normally. He took another pat down of his body, his shirt was torn from where the stakes were impaled through. Once he was done with that, he looked down to see the stake that he pulled from his chest.

He picked it up and saw how disfigured and jagged it looked. Fox could see his blood was dried at the sharp end. He then looked at his left hand. The wound that was there courtesy of Fetcher. It was at this point he remembered back to that other world he was in. Something about having the same thing inside the both of them.

Fox was one who was not good with riddles. Even then, it seemed that this one was clear as day. The something he had was his own blood. Andross had Fox's blood inside him. Fox was then thinking if it could be possible for the one to take back life if he helped create it. He's seen how his blood acted like acid to Andross.

But how did it work like that? Fox really didn't care about the explanation. What he cared most was the ape in his sights. Fox wanted him to experience pain beyond imagine. He wanted it to be the same as when he lost his parents to him. Fox took the stake and pierced his wounded hand with it. It hurt a little and Fox was able to get his palm to bleed.

Fox wiped the stake with his bloodied hand. He'd need to get his hand checked after this for infections. Fox limbered his way to Andross. Fox picked up the stake and saw that it was corroding itself. He needed to make this quick. He started to trot faster.

Andross was still oblivious to what was happening behind him. His typing was overpowering Fox's boots. Fox didn't take long to be behind Andross. It was at this point Andorss had a sixth sense tingling. Fox noticed Andross' state and decided not to wait any longer.

Fox pulled his arm back and unloaded his shot to Andross. The ape let out a blood-curling scream as he looked down to see a black stake going through his chest. Andross quickly backhanded Fox. He still had hold of the stake and pulled it out when he was punched. Andross turned around and stumbled on the console. He propped himself up and looked down at Fox. The tod picked himself up and let out a scream as he ran towards Andross.

Andross attempted to give Fox another punch, but he easily blocked it and brought the stake high in the air before impaling it through his heart, if he had one. Andross looked down to the stake and back to Fox, who had the coldest stare one could draw up. Andross tried to grab Fox by his throat, but Fox grabbed it with his bloodied hand. It started to burn off and Andross tried to break loose.

Fox kept Andross where he was, staring coldly into those blood shot eyes. Fox twisted the stake deeper into Andross as his hand finally burned off. Fox then wrapped his hand around Andross' throat and squeezed. Fox was a little hesitant as half his throat was gone already, and his esophagus was exposed. But whatever was needed to stop his terror, Fox was going all in.

Andross was trying to fight back. He began kicking Fox and Fox did slip under one of his kicks. Andross tried removing the stake, but Fox began to knee Andross in the stomach. The ape coughed and Fox pushed down the remainder of the stake into Andross.

Fox picked himself up and put his hand back around Andross' throat. Andross' screams started to die down, due to his throat being burned away. Andross eyes started to bulge from their sockets, so much that Fox had a tough time looking at him.

But Fox still didn't alter, he looked at the stake going through Andross and his hand was disintegrating his throat. Knowing that Andross only had a few seconds left, he decided to say one last thing to his enemy.

"Back from the dead, motherfucker."

It was at this point that Andross felt himself slipping away. Fox felt his hand going through his throat and decided to release his grasp so that Andross could suffer. Andross couldn't find anything around him to push Fox off of him, so he just had to watch Fox tower over him. The look in Andross' face was enough to know that Fox was the one who finally bested him.

Andross' entire body was shaking. Fox finally released his hold on the stake and got off of Andross. He watched as the ape was tried to pull it out with his one good hand, but failed every time. Fox didn't see it, but it also went through the console and it was giving Andross a shock. His face contorted with the shocking and Andross took a final look at Fox.

"Y-Y-You should b-be d-dead." Andross managed to say. Fox walked to Andross' position.

"I should. But I'm back. You're not the only one who's immortal." Fox said with almost a taunt in his voice. "The only thing is, I'm not going anywhere. But you." Fox grabbed the stake. "You deserve to rot for all that you've done."

Fox pushed the stake one final time and Andross let out a final scream, or what was left of one. Fox released his hold and stepped back. He saw Andross starting to spasm. His body was violently shaking that it looked like it was liquefying. However, his head was still intact. Andross' eyes rolled back and his hand fell from the stake and to his side.

Fox watched with a close eye to make sure what he was seeing was indeed true. Andross' tongue rolled out and Fox cautiously approached. He poked Andross on the cheek. He didn't respond. He poked again and there was still nothing. Finally, Fox gave Andross' face a couple of slaps.

No response.

Fox finally put two fingers next to Andross' nose and didn't feel any breathing. Once he confirmed this, Fox let out a sigh and fell back. He caught himself before and cushioned his fall. Fox couldn't believe what he did and how he had to do it. It was here when he saw the console that Andross was working on.

He quickly got up and went to it. Fox typed on the computer and saw that a new body was near completion. It just needed to upload a memory file inside of it. Fox started to think that Andross was going to upload his mind to this new body. It was the only possibility, but now the only thing he could think of was destroying it so no one could harness this much destruction.

Fox didn't waste time in trying to find a self-destruction switch or anything similar. Fox searched in Andross' computer but couldn't find anything of the sort. Fox search was almost endless until he saw something that caught his eye.

**OVERRIDE SEQUENCE**

That was what Fox was looking for. He typed furiously to try and get the sequence to start. The computer was reading Fox's typing and was able to get the sequence to start. The computer began to light up and an alarm was starting. The room was flashing red and Fox backed a little. A diagram popped on the computer showing what was about to happen.

The body that Andross was making was drawing raw energy from Venom's core. The only way to destroy it was to use the energy from the core to cause an explosion of mass proportions on the body. Fox felt the base start to shake again. He realized that this was the time to leave the area, and fast.

Fox picked up his blaster and ran like hell out of the room. The entire base was shaking violently and Fox hit the wall while running. He heard more steel pipes falling from the ceiling and covered his head. The pipes fell behind him and Fox continued running out of the hallway. He reached the main lobby and found his mask that was he took off.

He put it back on since he didn't want to breath in Venom's smog. He ran to the main doors and pushed them with all his might. The doors creaked and Fox squeezed his way outside. Fox looked around and saw his Arwing parked a few distance. Fox began running to his Arwing when he heard an explosion happen behind him.

Parts of the base flew high and Fox looked around to see the metal sheets flying high. Fox reached his Arwing and jumped into it. The canopy was open, so when Fox closed it, he had to keep his mask on due to the smog that was present inside. He'd have to wait until he left the atmosphere to eject the air.

Fox started his Arwing and didn't take long for him to pull up and fly far away from the base. Fox looked back and saw the base blowing up behind him. Fox started to break out of the stratosphere and looked back again. The base was exploding and Fox was still breathing hard.

Fox was at the end of the atmosphere and the base was at the final stages of exploding. Heat manifested on his nosecone and Fox finally saw the dark background of space. Fox finally let out the smog that was in his cockpit. The Arwing hissed and let out the smog from its vents and filled it up with breathable air. Fox took off his mask and let out a loud gasp. He looked down and could see where the base was.

More areas were exploding on the Venom's surface. The surface began to crack a little and the energy from the planet's core finally combusted and parts of Venom's surface shattered. Fox had to fly off to not get hit by rocks. A rock did knick him on his wing and Fox could see some metal fly carelessly into space.

Once the destruction was over, Fox turned around and saw a large crater now etched in Venom's surface. The last remnants of Andross' reign were finally destroyed and that no one from his army would dare attempt to start another revolt in his name. Fox slouched in his chair and rubbed his eyes.

Fox heard a beeping coming from his communicator. He turned it on and saw that it was his team calling him.

"Go for Fox." He answered.

"Fox! What happened down there?" Slippy's worried voice croaked in.

"We tried to call you when we saw the explosions happening." Peppy said.

Fox looked down at his chest and saw the scar in his chest more prominently. It looked like a circle with black veins crawling in his fur. When he touched it, it felt like his normal fur. He went down to the other at his stomach and the same thing. A large cut had black veins flowing through it and feeling just like fur.

Fox was so in his own mind that he wasn't thinking about anything else but his own well-being. Finally, the call of his team screaming for an answer was the cause of his snap. He looked at his surroundings and saw his team in formation. The Great Fox was up in the distance and he could see a platoon of ship off to his right.

"Yeah," Fox said croakily. "I'm fine."

There was a beat of silence from the comms before Peppy asked another question.

"Did you… did you do it?"

Fox took a deep breath. "Yeah. He's no more."

Fox didn't hear anything for a while, then at the same time, he heard a sigh of relief from all of them and small congrats. Fox accepted them with a small smile and then heard from an outside comm.

"What's this about Andross?"

Fox recognized the voice of Bill and gave off a smile chuckle.

"At least you did more than bird brain back there." Katt's flirty voice chimed in.

"Hey!" Falco was ready to mouth off to Katt until Fox spoke.

"Are we done here?" Fox asked calmly. "I have somewhere I need to be."

The silence filled the comms. Everyone knew what he was talking about. No one spoke, but Fox took this as confirmation that they were indeed done with Venom.

"Alright." Fox started the engines and took off to the Great Fox.

He left his team behind, but they quickly followed. Falco stopped when he didn't see Katt following, so he sent her a private transmission.

"You coming?"

"This seems like a 'you guys' thing. I'll be around, so don't you worry." Katt then cut the feed. Falco could see her engines being to light up and soon she took off to parts unknown.

Falco didn't see the need to pursue her at the moment, but now he needed to rejoin his team and find out what they were going to do next. Falco was the last to dock his Arwing. The ship hummed before Falco completely shut it down. He opened the canopy and jumped onto the ladder.

He walked to where the rest of his team was. Falco could see that Fox had his mind set on where he was going. Fox made his way to elevator and didn't have to wait for the shaft to arrive. He entered and pushed for the deck and quarters area before Falco held the door open.

"Hold on there," Falco said. He looked over Fox and saw his current state.

He saw Fox's torn shirt and the markings on his chest and stomach. Fox knew that they were going to question him about it, so he wanted to make it brief.

"Just a minor inconvenience." Fox said, as he pushed the button to the upper level. The door began to close, but Falco held it open.

"That ain't no inconvenience," Falco pulled Fox out of the elevator.

Fox swatted Falco's wing off him and Falco was about to revolt until he saw a new look in his eye. A gleam of someone who had been through something traumatic. Falco took a step back, keeping an eye on Fox.

Fox knew that all eyes were on him. He could feel a small breeze from the AC flowing into his torn shirt. He did shiver a little, figuring he needed to change shirt. Fox didn't even try to hide the marking on his fur.

"It's nothing. Just a new mark. That's all." Fox began walking back to the elevator until he was blocked by Peppy.

"Fox. You need to tell us what happened," Peppy demanded.

"We tried calling for you, but you didn't answer." Slippy added. "We were thinking of going down to help you."

Fox sighed at his teammates concern of him. He decided to talk, but keep out the most prominent detail.

"Andross and I had an excessive back and forth. There was a time where he had the upper hand, but I was able to get him. That's all."

Fox looked around to his fellow friends. His teammates had a confused look on them, but Fox thought to himself that he was very clear in his words. Fox gave a nod and walked around Peppy just before he heard ROB's voice come through the intercom.

"_Attention Team Star Fox. General Pepper is calling from Corneria."_

This was the one thing Fox wanted to avoid. He didn't want to deal with any sort of military or ceremonial antics right now. He wanted to go back to Sauria. To fulfil his promise to a special vixen. Fox grimaced at ROB's announcement. He just wished it was a quick call from the Great Fox's deck.

"_General Pepper is requesting our presence at Corneria."_

That was definitely not what Fox wanted to hear. He groaned loud with a strained voice. Peppy went to him.

"I'm sure he just wants to talk. It'll be in and out." Peppy tried to sound optimistic for him, but Fox wasn't buying it. "Fox. I'm sure she'll understand you taking your time. Don't rush it."

Fox began to calm down at Peppys' words. In that moment of silence, he realized that she was indeed willing to wait for him. Fox was hoping that this wasn't going to take long. He held his eyes shut before opening them.

"Okay." Fox shrugged. "Okay. Let's go."

With that, Star Fox made their way back to Corneria. Fox contacted Bill when he made his way to the deck. Turns out, he was the one who informed Peppy of Andross' death. Fox knew he couldn't hold it against him as he was a solider following orders.

Fox spent the rest of the trip back to Corneria sitting in the captain's chair. He just had his arms crossed and stared into space, blinking occasionally. The others took turns checking up on him to make sure he was doing okay. He kept saying the same answer that he was okay.

A few hours back to Corneria, Fox fell asleep. His team didn't want to bother him, so they left the deck and Fox to ROB's care. The deck went dim and Fox was propping himself with his right hand. His snores started to fill the empty deck, but ROB didn't pick it up and let Fox be in his slumber.

Another hour later, ROB woke Fox with word that they have reached Corneria. Fox shook his head and saw the blue planet from the Great Fox's window. Corneria was fast approaching and the rest of Star Fox entered the deck as they began to descend.

The Great Fox broke into Corneria's orbit and soon were guided by CDF's fighters. Fox saw the clouds disappear as the CDF tower came into full view. Fox could see ships flying around it and repairing the damage that was caused no more than a few hours ago. The fighters broke formation and the Great Fox's landing gears began to expel.

The clamps of the landing platform locked the Great Fox in place and it was time to head up to Pepper's office. Star Fox made their way past the number of soldiers who were all eyeing them and giving each a glare before whispering among themselves.

"You'd think we'd get a warmer welcome," Falco leaned into Fox.

Fox didn't pay it much attention. They weren't here for gossip or headlines. They were hear for Pepper and whatever hoops they had to jump through just for his satisfaction and for a good pay.

They entered the hexagonal plaza. Most of it was still intact because most of the damage was , thankfully, on the outside. The holographic map of Corneria in the center showed that the building was still no more imminent threat to Corneria or Lylat. They walked through the plaza and to the lobby, where the elevators were.

"What do you think he's got for us this time?" Slippy broke the silence.

"Some medal or shit like that." Falco answered. "Right, Fox."

Falco gave Fox a small punch on his shoulder. Fox didn't acknowledge it. He stood at the elevator's doors with his arms crossed. He stared down. He didn't even bother changing shirts, maybe that's why he was getting strange looks. He didn't let it get to him.

The elevator came down and they all entered in. Peppy pushed for floor 100 and they felt the cabin rumble slightly before it began lifting them up. None of them talked for the duration of the ride. The grinding of gears was the only sound that was heard in the elevator.

They reached the 100th floor and the doors to the general's office opened. The four members flooded out and Fox looked around. The hallway was damaged, but not severely. The metal walls were falling off, showing the interior wires and the frames that held the building together.

Fox approached the receptionist to the general's office. Fox recognized the golden retriever that was working at her desk. Fox got her attention and the golden retriever went frozen. Fox remembered back when she slipped him her phone number. A gimmick that he should have been used to. He didn't bother to try and call her since someone else was on his mind.

"Hi. General Pepper called us in." Fox said blankly.

The receptionist stared back at Fox. She glanced at his new marks and made a small gasp. Fox sighed and wanted to get this over with.

"Can you let him know we're here. I'm in a hurry." Fox demanded, but not trying to sound rude.

She nodded and picked up the phone. "Hi, general. Star Fox is here. Should I. Oh okay. Yes sir." She hung up the phone. "He's ready to see you."

Fox tried to smile, but it turned into a strained one, his teeth showing. "Thank you." Fox turned to his team. "Let's go." Fox pulled the doors open and they stepped into General Pepper's office.

The office was damaged. The window was shattered and they could feel a breeze coming in. The desk was broken and the carpet was heavily stained with oil and water. They walked in and saw Pepper sitting at the couches off the side.

"Fox." The general was holding a glass of water. His uniform was splattered with oil. "Oh, don't mind this. Just a near miss with some Venom soldiers."

Fox went to Pepper and sat across from him. He stared at the old hound's eyes. There was something that Fox couldn't quite put his finger on, so he needed to pry for information.

"So," he started, "what are we here for? Another round of celebration." Fox looked around the office. "Because this sure looks like some party Venom threw in here."

That got Pepper to sit up. "Excuse me?"

Fox didn't change his position. "Just tell us we did a good job. We expect the check to be in the same P.O. box."

"You think that's why I called you here for?" Pepper placed his glass on the table. He picked up a file from the floor and opened it.

There were pictures from Sauria. The temple that they were supposed to protect was destroyed. Papers that were filled with important information of the surrounding areas and local tribes were documented. But the most notable one was a transcript from the Cornerian base about the death of Colonel Fetcher.

"Mr. Lombardi." Pepper turned to Falco.

Falco was thrown off the mention of his name. He could sense something was not right, as did Fox.

"We at the Cornerian Defense Force were not aware of Colonel Fetcher's true motives. An undercover Andross supporter had used us for his own gain. Even with your will to take his life, you never gave him a just trial."

Fox read the document over. "Wait a minute," he interrupted. "This is incomplete. There's nothing here about how Fetcher revived Andross. That Falco saved my life. You've omitted that out."

Pepper looked back to Fox. "We need to clean house, Fox."

Fox slammed the papers against the table. "Bullshit! You're just trying to save yourself."

"Fox, calm down." Peppy went to restrain him.

"No!" Fox pushed Peppy off of him.

"We need Falco grounded." Pepper said. "It's the best way to ensure that he'd be clear of unsuspected eyes."

"I'm alive because of him." Fox pointed to Falco. "You don't get to say who on _my _team is grounded or not."

"We've suspended his license." Pepper retorted. "Any flying he does will get him jailed. You can choose someone from the academy to fill his place."

"I don't want a 'hotshot' academy pick. I am not replacing him!" Fox got in Pepper's face. Pepper had to back up. "You really want to do this, Pepper?"

Pepper took another look at Fox. He finally saw the torn shirt and marks on his chest. "Fox. What happened to you?"

"Let me tell you something, general." Fox gargled out. "I've been through hell and back so many time, I need an extra pair of hands to count. But these guys," Fox pointed to his team. "They've had my back through thick and thin. They are my team. Without any of them, we're nothing. But if you've already had your mind set."

Fox reached into his back pocket and pulled out his Cornerian license. Pepper looked at it before Fox tore the plastic card with all his strength. He tore the half into fourths and threw the plastic at Pepper. The hound saw the plastic fall to his feet and stared at Fox.

"I fly and I fight for Lylat. You should be thankful that we did what we must to ensure safety in this system. But if this is how you want to thank us, then good luck."

Fox walked to his friends and patted Falco on the shoulder. Falco saw Fox walk past and turned to Pepper. He just gave the found a predatory glare before walking with Fox. Slippy was next, but not before getting his license and placing it on the table. Lastly, Peppy.

"Peppy talk some sense into him." Pepper sounded pleading.

Peppy turned back to see Fox, Falco, and Slippy walking out of the office. Peppy returned to Pepper and reached into his pocket. Peppy placed his license next to Slippy's.

"You've always quoted for the greater good. But, I think this is the best for all of us." Peppy began to walk away from Pepper's chair.

Pepper looked at the licenses piled in front of him, and Fox's torn one at his feet. Pepper stood from his chair and started to chase down Star Fox. The door were open and he could see them passing the receptionist desk.

"Fox!" Pepper screamed to get his attention. Pepper looked to the receptionist. "Stop them."

The receptionist just stared at Pepper and to Star Fox. She looked back, her eyes were saying that she clearly didn't want to do it.

"That's an order." Pepper said.

With that, the receptionist had no other choice but to follow. She reluctantly got up and blocked Star Fox's exit.

"We still have matter to discuss." Pepper stared to approach them.

Fox didn't turn back. He stared at the receptionist blindly following orders. "Please move out of our way."

The receptionist stood her ground. "I can't."

Everything went silent. The sound of ships flying in the distance and the telephone ringing started to break it. Finally, after what seemed like hours on end, Fox did something that made the receptionist break.

"Elizabeth, please don't this."

She started to lower her arms when Fox said her name. It took him a while to remember what it was from the paper, but Fox was relived that he could remember it. Her arms rested at her side, so Fox began to walk around her, as did the others.

"What are you doing? Stop them!" Pepper ordered, but she didn't budge.

She watched as Star Fox entered the elevator. She kept her eyes glued on Fox, but Fox didn't return the gaze. He pushed for the lobby and stared down. He didn't want to go there, but if it was the only thing to try and get around her, he had to.

The doors closed and Fox rubbed his hands with his face and rolled them across his head. The ride was silent until about the fortieth floor.

"Thanks for that," Falco said, expressing how his leader stood up for him.

"He doesn't have a say on who can be on my team," Fox started. "If one of us goes down like that, then I'm following you."

Fox ended it with that, but Falco said something that almost made Fox jump back.

"What about… Krystal?"

Fox ears perked at her name and then it hit him.

"Didn't you say you made a promise to her?"

Fox closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I did."

"We don't know, or I don't know how long I'll be suspended. I can hold my own here." Falco looked to Fox. "You need to get back to Sauria."

Fox seemed to contemplate this, but then Pepper would butt in and try to get Star Fox on a leash if Fox went back on what he said.

"She'll understand."

"How can you be sure?" Falco tried to get him to budge.

"Because she promised she'd wait."

Fox did feel empty. Knowing that Krystal wasn't going to see him for a long time. But Fox didn't want her to worry, he would be fine and when the time was right, they'd be reunited. The elevator pinged once they reached the lobby. However, this was not the sight Fox wanted.

A sea a reporters and cameras were at the ready, and once the heard the doors open, flashes began and many people bullied their way to Star Fox's position. The security was doing their best to push them back, but the reporters were pushing back. Fox covered his eyes form the flashing lights and started to walk into the circle of security guards.

The others followed and security began to push a path for Star Fox, all the while the reports were shoving their hands and microphones into the circle. Fox could hear briefly in the storm some keywords.

Stuff about Sauria and Andross were the main things he heard, some bits about Fetcher, but Fox didn't want to answer any of them. That was until he heard one reported ask him that made him turn back.

"Mr. McCloud, can you tell us about the blue vixen you're dating?"

Fox's ears felt hot, but he kept his composure. "Excuse me?"

"Clearly, you two have a hand to each other." The reporter took out his phone and showed Fox a picture.

Fox's eyes went wide and his cheeks began to flush with a bright red. The picture in question was him and the blue vixen he knew. Hands grabbing in special areas. Fox just stared at the image, wondering how the reported could have gotten such a revealing picture.

At this point, it was inevitable that Fox's teammates would see the picture, as the reporter flashed it to each of them. Each took a long look at it before they turned to Fox.

"Ah, fuck." Fox sighed.

* * *

The wind gave Krystal a chill.

She shivered as the valley's pass gave more cold air flowing down. It didn't matter since she had a jacket on her to keep her warm. Krystal sat at the edge of a stream, looking down at her reflection in the water. She would lightly run her fingers through the water and see her reflection become disfigured before reverting to normal.

She looked behind her to see the temple. The archway, the stained glass that was above it, all was destroyed. The lights from the portable stands shined into the night. Workers from Corneria arrived, claiming to be a part of damage control. They worked to fix what they could and were removing and cleaning the debris from the surrounding area.

Since the attack on Sauria was over, half of the troops stationed here were quick to pack up and return to Sauria. The remainder had their grovel on wanting to finally this planet. But they were selected to help with damage control.

Krystal looked back to the stream and continued to splash at the water. She clutched the jacket she was wearing tighter. She let the water drip from her fingers and let them fall back into the stream. Her ears swiveled as she heard. She was hoping it was him. The one fox she was thinking about since they parted.

Krystal turned around. She looked up to where his height was, but didn't see him. She then looked down. She was sad, but relieved, that Tricky came to her.

"Uho 0ei ebu0, Krystal?" (Are you okay, Krystal?) Tricky asked.

"A'm ebu0. Nxuk uho 0ei teadw eik xoho kxaj cuko?" (I'm okay. What are you doing out here so late?) Krystal asked as Trick sat next to her.

"0ei xulod'k semo rusb ke kxo fucuso." (You haven't come back to the palace.) Tricky stretched and laid next to her, with his head on her lap. "Uho 0ei nuakadw veh Fox?" (Are you waiting for Fox?)

Krystal looked at Tricky. He had a child-like smile across his face. She looked away and had a small red forming on her cheeks. Tricky took a glance at the jacket Krystal was wearing.

"Ajd'k kxuk Fox's zusbok?" (Isn't that Fox's jacket?)

Krsytal covered herself more with it, although it was obvious it was his. The Star Fox logo was branded across the back and his first name was on the front patch.

"0oj. Xo cok mo rehhen ak." (Yes. He let me borrow it.) She answered him.

"Av xo cok eik rehhen ak, kxod kxuk moudj xo'j xuj ke semo rusb ke wok ak." (If he let out borrow it, then that means he's has to come back to get it.) Tricky's tail started to wag. Krystal felt it pounding the ground next to her.

"Kxuk'j nxuk xo kect mo." (That's what he told me.) Krystal's red deepened.

Tricky looked behind him to see the worker's from Corneria moving debris around and ensuring that the pathway was clear. He placed his head back on Krystal's lap and she began to pet his head lightly.

"A xefo xo semoj rusb. A houcc0 cabot xam." (I hope he comes back. I really liked him.) Tricky said before he closed his eyes. Krystal looked up to the many stars that painted the sky. She wanted to try and reach out to him, but the last time she did it, it caused her to be in short pain. She decided not to and let Fox come to her on his own time. With that, she mentally answered Tricky.

_Me too._

* * *

A/N: We're almost there. A wild ride this has been. Maybe I should save my speech for the actual final chapter. Work caught up to me, so this chapter maybe a little late.

Until then, Stabby out.


	28. Chapter XXVIII

Immortal Star Fox

Chapter XXVIII

**ONE YEAR LATER**

"In the six months of its operation, the Cornerian Orbital Gate has now granted outsider access to the Lylat System." The dalmatian on the screen was reporting. "The gate was mostly used as the primary transport for the CDF, but the Orbital Committee will now allow non-pilots and tourists to use the gate."

"Right at the camera, sir." The clerk behind the desk motioned to look at the camera.

"Beryllium seems to be a hot topic as the element has been found abundantly on Macbeth." The dalmatian moved on to the next story. "The Cornerian Precious Metals' president, Grippy Toad, has said the element will be used safely, as it has been known to present a toxic inhalation during manufacture of products."

"3. 2. 1." The clerk counted down.

Fox groaned as the light flashed for a split and saw sparks under his eyelids. He rubbed his eyes and the flash was gone. Fox shook his head and went to the desk. The feline was finalizing Fox's new license. Just a year ago, everything was flipped upside down for Fox and his team. Being grounded meant that the CDF had to bump up security around Lylat.

The production of the Cornerian Orbital Gate meant that ship could reach their destination in a matter of minutes, and after the six months of construction, it was ready for use. Fox could still see the many ships leaving Corneria's orbit with chunks of metal. It was wishful thinking that he could have been the first one to use the gate, but then the argument with Pepper happened.

Fox still thinks about that time a year ago. He stood up for Falco, with Slippy and Peppy following. They were left with just themselves in that span. Of course, the check did come in the P.O. box, like Fox requested. He was able to pay off some of the Great Fox's loan, with a little change for the rest of the crew.

From there, they assimilated into their normal lives. Slippy went to work with his father, Beltino, and uncle, Grippy, on the gate. Peppy was able to spend some time with his wife, Vivian, and daughter, Lucy. Falco and Katt were able to make amends and started to see each other, once Katt finished with her "vacation". And then Fox.

Fox didn't have much to do during his time being grounded. He did help out a little with Slippy on the construction of the Orbital Gate. But other than hanging out with his team on occasions, Fox would return back to his family home and count the days until he could be back in the skies.

He would keep looking at his wrist. The bracelet that was given to him by a very special someone. It was sort of a mark that was left by her. Fox would look fondly at it and wondered if she was waiting. He didn't want to leave her waiting like this.

He was hoping that she didn't forget him.

The printer popped out a small rectangle card and the feline stamped it for approval. "Here you are, Mr. McCloud."

Fox took the card and looked at the new picture of him. It was better than the first time he got one, but he wasn't going to spend thirty credits for a retake. Fox put the card in his new jacket. One that was snug than his previous one, but fit him perfectly and had a sleeker design. His teammates were jealous of the new design. Fox gave his thanks to the feline and went to his teammates watching the news.

"How much time did you end up working on that thing again?" Falco asked.

"It was constant day and night working. I only got five hours of sleep one week." Slippy answered. "Between us, my dad and uncle built a secret room in one of the hangars. They said we're free to use it as we please."

"Well, ain't that nice of the old toads." Falco remarked.

Peppy was still listening to the news. It was mostly about local stuff in Corneria City, and some recent interviews from people on their thoughts of Star Fox. Most were positive, with of course, some negative responses, but most had some comments directed to Fox.

Fox made his presence known by clearing his throat. The three turned to him and Fox looked at all of them. "We ready, guys?"

The three nodded and they walked with Fox out of the Department of Transportation that was in the CDF Tower. Today was when Falco's suspension ended. General Pepper sent out a formal letter to Star Fox a few days from when they last saw him. A formal press release was sent out from the CDF to local media and Star Fox had to create their own to respond.

After the barrage of ambushes after the release and countless questions from everyone everywhere they went, Fox and team we're quaint in waiting out the suspension for the next couple of months. Fox did get bored during these times and went out during the night to get himself out more.

He would stop by local bars and just try to have normal conversations with the other patrons. But then the topics turned personal for him and he'd get himself out of there quickly. He'd return home and just lie in bed, and kept thinking that he'd wish that someone else was with him.

The team walked out of the CDF. Fox did talk to Pepper a couple of times after their argument. Pepper described the change in officials that happened and were suspected of. Fox just let the general be and let him do his job. The CDF's shake up was major news over the next couple of months.

Star Fox made their way to the Great Fox. The mothership was parked in one of the hangars at the CDF. General Pepper made sure their ship and Arwings would be housed there. It would be up to the team to maintain it themselves. It didn't matter since ROB would do all that.

The team walked across the many runways that the CDF had and made it to the main hangar. Most of the soldiers and officers were not to kind that the Great Fox was to be housed there, but General Pepper made sure they stayed in check. The Great Fox was just as Fox left it. A few days ago, Fox ordered some new parts and had someone give the interior a semi-makeover, mostly in the den and deck areas.

Fox entered the Great Fox and could smell the new paint job that was flowing through the ship. It was still strong, but most of it was dry. The team went to their respective Arwings and looked at some of the new features that Space Dynamics gave them, now that the Arwings were finally theirs after months of negotiations.

The Arwings got a sleeker interior and updated consoles. The outside gained new holds for nova bombs and thrusters to ensure they'd get to their destination in a fast and timely manner. Slippy was hopping around like a little kid after seeing the improved Arwings. Just waiting for one of his friends to trash it so he could fix it.

Fox walked into the elevator and to the deck. The cabin took him up and Fox walked down the hallway to the den. The paint had dried, but was still invading his nostrils with its smell. It wasn't a new color, just the same white as the old coat was starting to fade. A new table was added with chairs and sofas were added to give the den a modern look.

Fox walked out and to the deck. It was clean and smelled of lemon. The gold robot that he ordered to watch the ship was at the holodesk, checking any current events in Lylat. The robot turned to Fox and scanned him.

"Welcome back, Captain Fox." ROB announced with not much ceremony.

"Yeah, it is nice to be back." Fox acknowledged the golden robot.

Fox looked around at the tidy deck. ROB was told by Fox to make sure that everything was spruced up by the time they returned, and it looks like the robot kept true to his word. The rest of the team came in and marveled at the sight and smell of the deck. The old chairs were replaced with sturdier, but comfortable ones, Fox's chair got a bit more attention.

"Would you like me to ring to CDF traffic to let us take off?" ROB asked.

Fox motioned for his team to come to the holodesk and they all followed. Fox stood next to ROB and the others found their usual spots. Fox pulled up the map of Lylat and could see that there wasn't any disturbances anywhere. Maybe they could pick up small transport jobs on Macbeth since the Cornerian Precious Minerals were working there.

"Are we ready for takeoff?" Fox looked to his team.

They all knew the answer and simply gave a nod. Fox nodded back and turned to ROB.

"Call it in."

ROB notified the CDF traffic that they were ready for takeoff. The Great Fox was taxied out by a pushback. The team went to their respective chairs and prepared for launch. It took a few minutes, but the CDF traffic gave them clearance for takeoff. The pushback quickly drove off the tarmac and the Great Fox was the only ship on there. The engines began to turn on and ROB gave off a few diagnoses of the ship. Once that was done, ROB told Fox that he had the green light.

"Let's go ROB." Fox said.

The Great Fox began to lift off the ground and hover for a while before moving forward. It started ascending and the nose began pointing to the sky. The blue sky that Fox dreamt of returning to.

The Great Fox began its quick ascend over Corneria. The past through the clouds and could see the blue sky becoming darker the higher they went. They broke through the final layers for Corneria's orbit and the Great Fox was submerged in the vacuum of space. A ping came on indicating that it was safe to walk around the Great Fox.

Out in the distance, Fox could see the Cornerian Orbital Gate. The station was spinning slowly and he could see many ships entering and exiting the gate. Fox looked behind him to the deck's closed door. He knew what he wanted to do, he wasn't sure how his team would react.

"Finally, off that damn planet." Falco groaned as he stretched.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Slippy said. "I had a great time."

"Working with your pop doesn't sound like a good time to me." Falco got up from his chair.

"Try it out. They're bright minded."

"No offense, but I can handle the smell you produce when you sweat, let alone when three of you are in the same room." Falco made a wafting motion.

"Falco." Peppy said with a stern voice.

Falco just rolled his eyes and approached Fox's chair. "Any word on some jobs?"

"We just got out. Let's just wait for them to come in." Peppy picked up a tablet and began to read a checklist on stuff to do in the Great Fox.

"What'd ya say, Fox?" Falco bumped him to get his attention.

Fox felt the bump but kept looking out to the orbital gate. He would blink occasionally, almost as if he was in a trance from the gate. Falco waved a wing in front of him. That got Fox to shake his head and look at the avian.

"You okay?" Falco questioned.

"Uh, yeah, just… um." Fox looked forward and the deck went silent. "I-I was hoping I could go somewhere else."

The Great Fox's hum was the only sound in the deck. Fox was iffy on how his team was going to react to this bomb, but it wasn't their words that got Fox's attention, but their faces. Falco just stared, nothing bad, he just stared. Slippy had his head tilted with a small smile. Peppy scratched his chin with eyes fully knowing what Fox was going to say.

"You wanna go see her?" Falco leaned in.

Fox didn't turn to him. His face was starting to get a little hot. He was shaking his leg.

"You still have a promise, Fox." Peppy reminded, even though Fox knew it himself. "You should probably go and fulfil it."

Fox's face began to grow more red. He took a deep breath and began to stand from his chair. He looked back to Peppy and let out a small huff and a small smirk came across the old hare. He went back to the tablet.

"I'll assume you want to go alone," Falco said, "but we're keeping the Great Fox."

"Wasn't planning on taking it. Kinda excited to try the orbital gate, however." Fox said as he started to walk to the door. He stopped and turned back to his teammates. They each knew what Fox needed to do, they didn't hold it against him.

"Thanks guys." Fox said.

"Just go to her already." Falco said in a demand.

Fox didn't waste time after that and walked out of the deck and to the hangar. It took him a few minutes to get everything together and get the Arwing ready. He notified ROB that he was ready for takeoff and the Arwing was catapulted out of the Great Fox and Fox piloted the Arwing to the orbital gate.

The massive gateway spun slowly and Fox tapped into the orbital gate's comms. A female robotic voice came in.

"Welcome to the Cornerian Orbital Gate. Please input your coordinates on your console." Fox did just that, getting the coordinates of Sauria from the deck's holodesk. The robot took a few moments to get the coordinates and before responding. "Coordinates received. Destination of Sauria is confirmed. Your launching station will be N-101."

Fox circled the orbital gate until he found N-101. He saw the platform adjusting to Sauria's location. He positioned the Arwing inside the platform and they started to spin when he got close. The platforms spun faster as the Arwing was resting inside the station.

Fox felt the vibration of the platforms around him and everything around him was starting to get bright. Again, the female voice came to make another announcement.

"Thank you for choosing Cornerian Orbital Gate. Takeoff to Sauria will be in ten seconds. Estimated time will be two minutes."

Fox closed his eyes for the ten seconds and could hear a loud ringing and the bright light dimmed as Fox felt the Arwing being propelled and himself being thrown back into his chair. Fox didn't feel anything after being thrown back. He opened his eyes and saw all the stars flying past him. Fox marveled at the rate he was going and was surprised that he was getting there faster than the Great Fox did.

For the entire two minutes, Fox just looked around and was at awe at the speed he was going and he didn't feel any of it. Eventually, the Arwing began to shake and Fox could see a blue dot approaching fast. He grabbed his flight stick as the Arwing was slowing down. The shakes were indicating the final approach to Sauria and the Arwing slowed down as the ship let out a green ball of energy.

Fox looked down at the blue-green planet and stared at it. It was a whole year since he last stepped foot on the planet. He didn't waste anymore time and pointed the Arwing down to the planet. He flew into the orbit of Sauria and the nosecone had small flames manifesting. The blue sky came into view as Fox flew above the clouds.

Fox deseeded further and could see in between open areas of the clouds. It was just like coming to Sauria the first time. He looked around for anything new, but everything seemed to be in order. The last stretch of the flight, Fox could see something hazy in the distance. He descended lower and could faintly see a building. Fox recognized it as the temple.

Fox flew over and pulled back to see the temple's current status. Fox decided it was within himself to try and pay respect to everyone who gave their lives to protect the temple. He piloted the Arwing down and felt the landing gears rest on the planet's surface. He decided to let his teammates know his status. So he sent them a message.

"Just an update, I've landed back on Sauria. Nothing really has changed. I'll just leave it at that. See you guys later." Fox sent the message and looked at the temple in front of him.

The temple was still damaged. The archway leading inside was still demolished and the stained glass that was above the archway was gone and some shards hanging on. Fox walked up the steps and looked inside. Most of the damage was on the inside. Rocks were littered everywhere, and some walls had fallen. The dome on top was broken and the spire was inside the temple.

Fox just kept looking around and saw Corneria's fingerprints all over it. Damage control did their best to clean up the area and make sure that the area surrounding was up to the EarthWalkers' liking, or that's what General Pepper said.

Fox was so caught up that he didn't hear something sneak up behind him. Fox scratched his head before he heard a booming voice echo around him.

"Fox? It's really you!"

Fox jumped in the air and let out a small scream as he quickly turned around and had his hand on his holster. He breathed heavily as he got to see who it was that gave him a scare.

"Tricky?" He removed his hand from the holster.

Fox looked over the dinosaur as it is apparent that he has grown in the year that has passed. The last time Fox saw him, he was at his knees. Now, the dinosaur was at his waist, but he still had the childlike manor.

"Yes. It is me." Tricky said.

Fox looked down at his wristcomm and saw that he didn't have the translator was on. He looked back at Tricky and the dinosaur just had that child smile that never went away.

"Are you… speaking Cornerian?" Fox had a puzzled look.

"Yes. But not good." Tricky said. "My dad been teaching."

"Well, that's good." Fox walked next to Tricky and Tricky's tail was wagging furiously. "How has everyone been?"

"Uh…" Tricky took another second to gather words. "Mother and father are okay. They teach me a lot."

"That's really great, Tricky." Fox sounded happy that Tricky was finally learning Cornerian. "How long have you been learning?"

"Uh… few mouths." Tricky said.

"Mouths?" Fox questioned. "I think you mean months."

Tricky tilted his head and his eyes grew. "Yes. Months! I still learning."

"Parents have been teaching me, more of father since mother is a little sick." Tricky's mood dipped a little. "She doing better now."

"Father has been giving me lessons during the days. But Krystal has also help me."

Fox's mouth went dry when Tricky said that name. Now his nervousness started to show as he tried to get more information on the vixen.

"K-Krystal has been helping you?" Fox asked.

"She did. Until she left." Tricky answered.

Fox's heart immediately sunk.

"L-Left? What do you mean?" Fox looked like he was shaking.

"Yeah. She left a few mouths ago." Tricky was still wagging his tail, however.

"D-Do you know where she went?" Fox asked timidly.

"Yeah. She moved up into the mountains."

Fox let out a sigh of relief and his body stopped shaking. He put a hand on Tricky in an attempt to get himself standing upright. Tricky didn't know what was going on, so he let Fox stay there until he composed himself.

"Can you take me to her?" Fox looked at Tricky. "I need to tell her something."

"Yes," Tricky screamed with enthusiasm. "Follow me!"

Tricky led Fox out of the temple and down the familiar trail. Fox looked around at the trees that seemed to have grown in the past year. He felt smaller and Tricky's growth spurt didn't help either. When they reached Walled City, Fox saw the patches of grass that were still growing from Corneria's base.

Fox saw two mountain peaks, the one to the left was the one to Moon Mountain, passed where the SharpClaw lived, but Tricky had his sights on the one behind Walled City.

"She up there." Tricky pointed to the mountain. "It may take a few hour."

"You don't need to tell me that. You all set?" Fox gave Tricky a pat.

Tricky just wagged his tail as Fox already knew the answer. Fox looked at the mountain and wondered why Krystal would move out of the EarthWalker's palace. He decided to ask Tricky as they began their small journey.

"Why did she leave Walled City?"

Tricky led the way and answered Fox's question with his broken Cornerian.

"She said needed spaces. Places to meditate and be at peace." Tricky gave a small pause, trying to remember where the path was. "She still come to visit."

Tricky walked around Walled City down another path that Fox hadn't been down. It led to a banking river, and Fox could feel the cool air flowing down. He shivered as he zipped up his jacket halfway and brought down the sleeves to down his arms.

The trail followed the base of the mountain before it started to climb up the side. Tricky explained how the trail can become narrow near the top. Fox still wasn't sure how Krystal could scale the mountain on a possible daily basis.

The higher they went, the colder it began. The wind also didn't help with the chill. Fox could see his breath in front of him, also his breathing became harder the altitude kept climbing. Fox saw Tricky doing his best on staying near the path. The fall down would be catastrophic for either of them.

Fox looked at his wristcomm and could see that they had been climbing for about an hour. Fox would think it better to pilot his Arwing the next time he made another visit. The trail started to get wider as the made it to the final stretch. Fox didn't need to scoot along the side. He was still wondering how Tricky was able to scale the mountain given his size.

Tricky then stopped as they reached near the top of the mountain. The wind was blowing steadily, but Fox felt it pelting his face. He had to cover his eyes as they began to water from the chill. He could see Tricky peeking around the corner. Fox looked up and saw a sort archway that was carved into the mountain. Fox kept looking up and could see there was still a way up to the peak.

Tricky motioned for Fox to go ahead of him. Fox carefully slid by Tricky and did his best to not look down the mountain. Once he got past Tricky, Fox slowly peeked in. His heart started to beat faster and more smoke came from his breath.

He saw the blue vixen he had been thinking about for the last year. Fox was lost at her sight, seeing this is the first time in a year he has seen her. She had his back to him, legs crossed, and hands placed on the floor. There were candles around her and it sounded like she was humming something. Fox came to the conclusion that she was meditating.

He didn't want to disturb her during her time and looked back at Tricky. The dinosaur saw the look on Fox's face and whispered to him.

"Why not go in?" Tricky raised a brown.

"She looks busy. I don't want to disturb her." Fox whispered back.

Tricky's face went from smiling to a pout. It then lit up when the dinosaur had an idea brewing. His smile returned as his idea started to go into motion. "Wait."

It was all Tricky said before he yelled at the top of his lung. "Krystal!"

Fox tried to cover the dinosaur's mouth before the words left, but he was too late. Fox looked back to see if she was coming, but when he looked in, she wasn't moving. Tricky then squeezed his way past Fox and into Krystal's home. The happy EarthWalker walked next to Krystal.

Tricky saw that she had her eyes closed and her humming was still present. However, when she felt Tricky's presence, she tried to tune him out and focus on her meditation. Tricky called out for Krystal, but she held her eyes tighter and focused more. When Tricky called her for the third time, she finally opened her eyes and looked at the prince.

"Tricky. You better have a good reason to interrupt me." Krystal said with a disgruntled voice.

"Hi Krystal." He said ignoring her tone. "I do have reason for interrupting you." At least he was honest. "I have surprise for you."

Krystal just gave a small sigh and decided to get this over with. As much as she liked the dinosaur, now that he was near her waist, some of the childish things he used to do no longer had that child spark to them. He was going to learn sooner from his father about the etiquette for royal living.

"Don't go nowhere." Tricky added.

"You're blocking my only exit." Krystal mumbled under her breath while crossing her arms.

Tricky walked out of Krystal's home and stood near the trail where Fox was. The tod just stared at Tricky in disbelief at what he did.

"Why'd you do that?" Fox had to lower his voice.

"Why not? You wanted to see her. She waiting." Tricky walked around Fox and there was nothing blocking his path.

Fox realized where he was now. He tried to take deep breaths to compose himself, although he was sure it'd pick up again. He started to shake again and made an attempt to walk, but hesitated. He palms began to produce a cold sweat, making them even colder.

"Tricky. I'm not waiting any longer." Krystal's voice echoed.

Fox was trying to find the courage to enter, but he wasn't making it easy. Now the pessimist thoughts came in. What if she actually forgot who he was? What if she moved on and just accepted the fact that he wasn't coming back? It kept building up to the point that Tricky rolled his eyes and headbutted Fox in his back. Fox fell forward and grunted as picked himself up.

Krystal was looking away, but when she heard a thud, she reverted her attention to the sound. Her face went from annoyed to full shock at what she was seeing. Her arms fell slowly and she sued them to cover her mouth as it was opening wide.

Fox propped himself with his elbows and cast a glare at Tricky. "Really?"

The dinosaur simply had that kid-smile on his face. Fox just shook his head and finally turned his head inside Krystal's home. He saw the vixen simply standing in all her radiant. It threw him off seeing her for the first time in a year. His heart started to beat faster and the vixen's was doing the same.

Fox began to pick himself up and was finally facing Krystal. They both didn't say anything and Krystal lowered her hands from her maw. Her eyes didn't blink, as she thought it was either an illusion or if she blinked, he'd be gone. Her eyes were watering as another gust of wind breezed into her home. Only then did she blink. She quickly opened them and saw that he was still there.

"Fox?" She whispered.

"Krystal." He whispered back.

They went silent again. Tricky looked at both of them and realized the tension that was between them. He figured something was floating in the air, so he left without ceremony. Fox did give Tricky a small wave to show his thanks. Fox cleared his throat to get the knot that was tying.

"Hey," he shyly said.

"Hi." Krystal whispered again.

Fox looked around her new home. A small area with minimal belongings. Her staff was leaning one of the corners. Her bed did look plush looking, but was only big enough for one person. Fox started to walk inside her home and kept looking around.

"So, um… you got a-a nice place." Fox said.

"Oh, yeah. It's just a small area and…" Krystal rubbed her arm, also walking closer.

Fox looked her over and was taken back at the jacket she was wearing. The white khaki jacket that Fox had lent her last year. He walked closer and Krystal was matching his pace. Fox saw there were some mud stains on the bottom end of the jacket.

"I see you still got… that on." Fox pointed at his old jacket.

"Oh, yeah. I've… it kept me warm up here, so yeah." She rubbed her arm more.

The gap between them closed and soon they were standing in front of each other. Krystal let her arm reach to touch Fox's arm. Fox's heart was beating fast as he felt Krystal's touch. He felt her fingers running through his fur; it gave him goosebumps.

Krystal looked up and stared longingly at those eyes that captivated her when they were together. How she loved to look at them and Krystal could feel that it was the same feeling from Fox. She ran her fingers up his arm and Fox picked up his hand and placed it gently on her waist. Krystal ran her hand up her arm and around his shoulder.

Fox brought Krystal closer to him and placed his other hand on her waist. Both didn't break their gazes and Fox started to move his head forward. Krystal saw this and tiptoed to get closer to Fox's face. He tilted his head and stopped when their noses touched. Fox pushed his hips against hers as he closed the small gap.

Krystal took in a sharp inhale as she felt Fox's lips on hers. Krystal's fur stood up on her neck and she closed her eyes. Fox felt Krystal complying with him, so he began to speed up, letting a whole year of pent up emotion come out. Krystal could feel this and the only way to answer was to match his pace.

Fox ran his tongue across Krystal's teeth, letting her know that he wanted more. She obliged and let Fox enter her mouth. She felt Fox flick her tongue with his and she returned the gesture. Both foxes were breathing heavily as their tongues wrestled to get the upper hand. Krystal wrapped her arms around Fox's neck and played with the white strand of hair that split his head.

Finally, after what seemed liked hours, Fox pulled back from Krystal and placed his forehead against hers. She felt Fox's head against hers and she rubbed it against his, their muzzles were inches from each other.

"Fox," her voice was breaking. "You came back." She rubbed her muzzle under his chin.

"I made a promise." He hugged her tightly. "I never go back on it."

Krystal felt the strength of being in his arms. She hugged him back and put her nose against his neck, getting a small sniff of his scent. She exhaled shakily as she remembered Fox's smell. She pulled back and stared at him.

"What happened?" She wanted to know what she missed during this past year.

"Something out of my control," he sighed. "But, then I took control and well…"

Krystal guided Fox to her bed and they both sat down as Fox began explaining that happened. How he killed Andross and saved Lylat, again. The argument with Pepper and how he stood up for his teammate. The suspension of Falco and how he protested by being grounded with him for a year. After that, Fox didn't have much to say other than doing helping build the Cornerian Orbital Gate.

Krystal leaned her head against his shoulder as she listened to Fox's story. She looked at his wrist and saw the bracelet that she made for him. He still had it on all this time. She grabbed his bicep on the arms she was leaning against and held it. Fox instinctively flexed at that. He ended his story by leaning his head against hers.

"Did you ever think about me?" Krystal had a red forming on her.

"Would it be creepy if I said that I did most of the time?" Fox shyly admitted. "It's because of this." He flashed the bracelet to her.

"Don't worry. I thought about you a lot, as well." Krystal admitted. "It's because of this." She flapped his old jacket.

Fox chuckled with a blush rapidly forming. "Guess we couldn't get off each other's mind."

She responded to his comment by giving him a small kiss on the cheek. "I guess not."

"What about you. What have you been doing? And why are you out here?" Fox looked down at her.

A series of events that Krystal had some explaining to do. She was willing to explain everything to him, and it looked like he was willing to listen. She said how after the temple's destruction, she tried to keep the EarthWalkers calm during the cleanup. After a few months, Krystal found that she needed time to herself. She still made visits to the palace every week, and the king made it apparent that she was always welcome to return.

Eventually, she succumbed to her new home in the mountain area let her mind by a peace whenever she was up here. That's all she kept repeating, peace. It's what she wanted, and with Fox telling her that he rid the system of the one being that stopped her from having it, she felt relief and calm go through her.

"I've enjoyed being up here. The calm aura of the mountains have really settled me down." Krystal leaned forward, her chin resting in her hands and elbows on her knees. Fox also leaned forward.

He bumped shoulders with hers and she looked back at him with a smirk. She leaned into him and Fox wrapped an arm around her. He started to rub her arm and Krystal felt the warmth flowing through her arm. Krystal let out a long sigh and looked up at Fox.

"So, what are you going to do now?" She batted her eyes at him.

"I-I'm not sure." Fox rubbed his neck. "Everything's been silent, not even Star Wolf has done something in our absence. So, we're probably going to be waiting a while for anything to come in."

Krystal leaned more into Fox and both of them went silent. Krystal didn't mind the silence, she used to feel Fox's mind. His mind was blank. She could see his eyes were closing slowly and his breathing was getting rhythmic. The silence was putting him to sleep.

"Fox, are you okay?" Krystal asked.

"Yeah," Fox cleared his throat and did a nervous chuckle. "I'm fine." He looked at Krystal and she was biting her lip.

Krystal could sense that Fox wanted to ask her something, but given that he would probably stammer every word. Krystal decided to tell him what he was wanting to ask, and she had a small feeling he would be blushing like a madman.

"Fox," she stared directly in his eyes. "I want you to stay for the night."

Fox almost fell off the bed at Krystal's request. It made him think if she was reading his mind, not that she wasn't doing it already. Fox's face went full red.

"K-Krystal, I-I…" He didn't get the sentence out as Krystal put a finger on his mouth.

"I'm not asking you, Fox. I want you to stay. Please." Krystal had a pleading look.

Fox looked at Krystal's gaze, she almost had a puppy look starting to form. Fox's heart was beating fast, but he composed himself as he realized that she wanted him to stay. He didn't have the heart to deny her this request, even thought he wanted to ask it deep down.

"Okay." He placed a hand on her cheek. "I'll stay."

At that, the restraint from Krystal broke and she leaned into Fox and practically smashed her lips against his. Fox's eyes went wide, but he returned the kiss with much intensity. Their kiss turned into quick, short ones as they became more intense with each other. She took off his jacket and placed it on the side of her bed.

Krystal placed her hands on Fox's pects and lightly pushed him on her bed. Fox didn't put up a fight and tensed at Krystal's hands on his chest. Krystal glided her hands down his body and reached the end of Fox's shirt. She was curious and slipped her hands under his shirt. Fox felt her fingers on his fur and he started to shake a little.

She grabbed the bottom of his shirt and was slowly picking it up as she went back up his body. Fox could feel the cold air hitting his fur. Fox placed his hands on her hips squeezed them, Krystal let out a small giggle as she felt his fingers roaming up her back. Krystal was able to get Fox's shirt to his arms and it was here where Fox remembered something he had.

He reluctantly broke from her. "Krystal, wait."

It didn't matter as she pulled Fox's shirt over him. She threw it to the ground and glided her hands down his chest. There, she saw what Fox was trying to warn her.

She saw over Fox's left pect a black scar. It was about the size of her fist and it had strands coming out of the scar. She looked down more and saw another scar that crossed his stomach. It was the same black color and small strands coming out of it.

"I should have warned you about those." Fox tried to avoid looking at her.

Krystal traced the scar on his pect and Fox shivered at it. She was so mesmerized by it. How did Fox get such permanent marking like this on him? She looked down at the other scar and placed her hand there and started tracing it. Fox felt a tickling sensation and let out a shaky chuckle. Krystal looked up at him.

"Fox, how did you get these?" She was very curious.

"It's difficult to explain." Fox held himself up on his elbows.

Krystal tilted her head and Fox couldn't hold back an awe at the sight of it. Krystal let out a smile and gave Fox another kiss. She then pushed him down with force and Fox eyes went wide.

"Krystal. I-I don't know if we should…" Fox stopped when her face went upset.

"Then what about that one time we were at each other's touch." She pinned his arms down. "I waited a year for you and you're going to deny me this one night?"

"Because I don't want it to just be one night."

Krystal's face went blank when he said that. "What?"

Fox began to sit up and was eye to eye with Krystal. "Well, I just don't want things between us to be just… this."

Krystal tilted her head at what Fox was trying to say.

"I've told you before, I've only been in one other relationship. We were intimate, but we never got this far." Fox looked away with a blush forming. "I… I would like to start something like that again. With you."

Krystal started to breathe heavy again. She was finally processing what Fox was telling her. "Fox?"

"I want to feel that happiness of being with someone." He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. "And I want that someone to be you."

"Then show me." Krystal demanded to know how much he was willing to commit to her.

* * *

The tod's restraints were finally broken and Fox wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him as he laid on the bed, their hands roaming freely on the others body. Fox removed his old jacket from Krystal and she straddled herself on Fox's chest, helping him remove the jacket. She tossed it aside and let Fox's hands roam her back.

Krystal dragged her claws into Fox's chest and Fox let out a low growl. His hands reached the clasp of her chestplate. Fox looked up at her and she gave him a nod, letting him know that it was okay to continue. It took him no more than a couple of seconds to hear the clasp unhook. Krystal lifted her arms and Fox removed her chestplate and gently placed it on the ground.

Fox was mesmerized at the sight in front of him. Krystal knew that Fox was locked at her beauty, so what she did next almost made him pass out. She pushed Fox down and pressed her chest against his face. She pinned him by his shoulders and Fox was muffled under Krystal. She laughed as his voice tickled her fur, but let out a moan as she felt something wet being dragged across.

From there, everything else came off in a blur. Fox's pants and Krystal's loincloth were next. They each looked over the other's body and saw the one line of clothing that was separating them from their complete forms. Krystal could see Fox pulsing under his compression shorts.

Fox could see a few wet spots on Krystal's undergarments. He picked up his shaky hand and made one swipe on it. Krystal's thighs tensed and she let out a shaky breath, and it wasn't long before the last remnants of their clothes were finally off.

Another gust of wind came into the hollow that made Fox shiver. Krystal pushed herself against Fox and let her warmth envelop him. Fox could feel it come over him and he wrapped Krystal in his arms and she could feel his warmth flow through her. From there, they didn't separate from each other the entire night.

* * *

The waning night vanished as Solar was making its way up Sauria's horizon. The orange rays gave color to the sky, turning it from jet black to ocean blue. Unfortunately for Fox, he was facing directly at the rising star. He felt the heat beginning to pound his face and he start to move under the covers. He felt something holding onto him and he slowly opened his eyes.

It was, by far, the best sight he had ever woken up to.

Krystal was facing towards him, her head buried deep in his chest. She looked so peaceful sleeping with him. A much-needed sleep after the pent-up emotions they released last night. Fox smiled and gave Krystal a small kiss on her forehead. The covers were mostly over her and Fox's back was exposed, but he had Krystal's fur to keep him warm. Fox's eyes started to get heavy and he went back for a quick slumber.

Fox didn't close his eyes for more than twenty seconds until he felt a lick on his hand. It was outstretched and hanging off the bed, so it couldn't have been Krystal. He opened his eyes to see the playful face of Tricky. Fox screamed and pulled the covers over him and Krystal.

"Tricky!" His voice was not pleased to see the young EarthWalker. "What are you doing here?"

Krystal woke from Fox's loud voice and she was trying to get free from the covers. But Fox was trying not to let Tricky see them both completely exposed and question why they were like this.

"I want to see how you doing." Tricky said with his broken Cornerian and tail wagging. "I hope we could have fun. The three of us."

Krystal's head finally poked free from the covers and she turned to face Tricky. The dinosaur went from Fox and Krystal with his eyes, trying to understand what they were doing sleeping together.

"Tricky," Krystal said. "Can you give us a moment? We're not um… decent right now." She tried not to give too much detail.

Tricky just stared at the two and Fox made sure that Krystal was covered. Tricky didn't think much about it and decided to leave the foxes time to themselves.

"Okay. But I will wait." Tricky turned around and flashed a smile to both of them before leaving Krystal's home.

Both Fox and Krystal let out a sigh. Krystal then put on a smirk and turned to face Fox.

"That was some way to wake up." She giggled.

"The sight I had was way better than the one you had." Fox brought his muzzle close to Krystal's.

Krystal had a small red forming and leaned forward to Fox's muzzle. Fox moved forward and they both shared a morning kiss. Fox's hold became tighter and Krystal rested her hands on his chest, she traced the black scar he had over his heart.

It was at this point where they both realized that it was actually time to get up. They both were reluctant to separate, but Fox removed the covers and both looked at their naked forms before getting up and getting dressed. While they were getting dressed, they each would snatch the other's article of clothing and would run after to get it back.

Fox wrapped his arms around Krystal to get her to stop running. She was laughing and Fox couldn't hold in his laughter. Krystal gave Fox his shirt and Fox returned her chestplate. Their clothes were on and they sat back on Krystal's bed. The vixen placed her head on Fox's shoulders and Fox took this time to think about what just happened in the span of one night.

However, there was something else that he was thinking about. Krystal could sense this question radiating from his mind, so she decided to ask him what was bothering him.

"Fox, what's wrong? I can sense you're thinking about something." She pushed her head closer.

"I have been thinking. About one thing." Fox placed his head on top of Krystal's.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Krystal was thinking about what it was.

"It's actually about you." Fox admitted.

Krystal removed her head and looked up at Fox. He turned to face Krystal and held her hands. Krystal could sense he had a burning question to ask.

"Krystal. This is something that I have been discussing with my team. And I want to know what you would think. If you're willing to listen."

She gave Fox a nod and he decided to tell her something that his team would be on board with, given Krystal's say on the matter.

"You remember our old man, Peppy, right?" Fox saw Krystal giving a nod. "Well, he's said that being with us has been somewhat stressful. The war and the recent excursion on Sauria has been taking a toll on his health and this recent rest has gotten him thinking about the long run."

Krystal had a gleam in her eyes, she had a small feeling that it was going in the way she thought it was.

"We had a long talk about this. We discussed how it would plan out and it turns out, the guys are on board with it. We just need to know what," Fox stopped. "We just need to know what you would say."

Krystal's mouth was in awe and she confirmed her thoughts.

"Krystal. I ask this because I know you can hold your own. You've shown me the amazing fight you have and that's something that everyone else can agree with. So, I ask you on behalf of myself and Star Fox, we would like you to join our team."

Krystal went in full shock at what she was hearing. She had tears forming on the sides of her eyes.

"We'd put you through training and get you caught up with how we operate." Fox leaned forward and gazed into Krystal's eyes. "We'll welcome you to our team with open arms. If, you'd like to join us."

Fox waited for Krystal's response. He could see the tears forming on the corners. Krystal was still trying to process everything that Fox told her. He wanted her on the team, better yet, his whole team wanted her to join. She kept having these thoughts of how she would be with the team. There was only one way to find out if she would work well with them.

"Fox, this so much to take in." Krystal was still wrapping her head around this.

"Take your time." Fox assured. "It doesn't have to be right now."

Krystal, however, seemed to have her mind set. She jumped forward and gave Fox a tight hug. Fox returned the hug and she rubbed her head against his.

"Fox," she said through tears. "I don't know what to say, but I'd be honored to join your team."

Fox started to smile and he could feel Krystal stroking his back. He had to lightly push her off so he could explain what would happen next. Krystal's eyes were red around from the tears.

"It'll take some time for you to get situated, but you can do it. I know you can." He placed a hand on her cheek. Krystal's nuzzled into his hand and her smile kept growing.

It took Krystal no more than ten minutes to get her belongings. She was excited at this new start that she did four lookovers of her room to make sure she didn't skip on anything around her. They both scaled down the mountain, holding hands along the way to make sure neither fell.

They reached the bottom and the next stop was the EarthWalker's palace to break the news to Auserij. It would be a good thing to meet with the king. Fox also contacted the Great Fox to get the mothership to Sauria. It took the Arwing about two minutes to reach, but he was curious on how long the Great Fox would take. Slippy ringed back and said it would be about five minutes.

Tricky was walking around a small cluster of trees and saw the two foxes coming from the distance. He called out to them and they both were cornered by the EarthWalker. At least Krystal could tell Tricky what was going to happen. Tricky's face went down, but she assured that she'd make visits to check up on him and his parents.

The three walked back to Walled City all while Tricky was jumping around them. Krystal really didn't mind it and tried to get Fox to not pay him too much attention, but it was difficult because the dinosaur wanted Fox to play with him every second of the walk.

When they returned to Walled City, most of the EarthWalkers welcomed back Fox and thanked him for doing his best to help with their small village. The three entered the EarthWalker's palace most of the EarthWalker soldiers escorted the three to the throne room. Fox looked around the hallways and remembering walking down this same hallway when he first arrived here.

"Fox, is that really you?" The king said as they entered the throne room.

"Yes. It has been a while." Fox looked at the king. He seemed to be the only one in the room. Fox then remembered that Tricky announced that his mother was ill. "I'm sorry for my year of absence."

"I assume something happened that you needed to attend to." Auserij removed himself from the throne to meet Fox and Krystal halfway.

"Yeah, there was a setback." Fox chuckled, rubbing his neck.

"It's nice that you came back to see us." Auserij put out his paw and Fox gave it a shake. It was here where Krystal went forward.

"Actually, there is something we came here to tell you." Krystal stood next to Fox. "I'll be joining Fox and his team. He asked me earlier and I accepted."

Auserij stared at Krystal and then to Fox. He could see what was happening and he was both happy and sad. He was happy that Krystal was seeking something livelier with Fox, but he was sad at losing a very important figure close to his family.

"Ah Krystal. There is no need to explain. I understand what you are doing." Auserij said with a smile. "You'll always have a home here, as do you Fox. You're always welcome."

Fox and Krystal expressed their thanks, but Krystal made another stop to Sosacau's chamber to speak with her. Fox gave her time to talk with the queen and Fox got a call from the Great Fox. They were already in Sauria's orbit and Fox went outside to meet with them. He looked at the mothership descending on the patch of grass that was outside Walled City.

The cargo doors expelled pressure and they lowered. Fox saw his team standing at the door and Fox walked up to meet them all. Fox didn't go way into detail of what happened during the night, just that he and Krystal were on good terms. Even if all his friends had the same grin on their faces.

Fox didn't let it faze him, he just embraced it and they were okay with it. His ears perked as he heard another set of footsteps walking up the ramp. He turned back to see Krystal finished with her talk.

"Did you get everything?" He asked a final time.

"I believe so," she answered. Krystal turned to the rest of the team. "It's nice to see all of you again. I'll do my best and pull my own weight on this team."

Fox could see that they all felt Krsytal's words to be sincere. She was willing to adapt to a new life and learn from each of them on how to become a mercenary. Peppy had a small feeling his replacement would do right by the entire team.

"It's good to have you back with us, Ms. Krystal." Peppy announced her welcome.

"Thank you. And you don't have to be so formal with me." Krystal reminded him.

"Ah, well it's just a small habit I need to get rid of now. I assume you don't need another tour of the ship."

"It has been a year since I've been here. So, another one wouldn't hurt." Krystal placed her hands behind her back.

Peppy stepped aside and outstretched his arm into the hangar, showing that he wanted to show Krystal the Great Fox. Krystal looked to Fox and he motioned for her to go with him, sensing that he didn't mind the old hare reintroducing her to the mothership.

Krystal gleefully walked beside Peppy has he started to present the hangar to her and the Arwings. Fox let them and motioned Slippy and Falco to follow him. Fox did turn back to Walled City. The houses weren't able to be seen from the wall, but Fox did see the EarthWalker's palace.

"You okay, Fox?" Falco's voice broke him from his gaze.

"Just thinking about what's happened over the past year." Fox looked to where Peppy and Krystal were.

Peppy was showing Krystal his Arwing. She would nod occasionally as Peppy was pointing to the different switches and levers the Arwing had inside. Fox felt Falco give him a nudge on his shoulder.

"You did good, cap." Falco smirked.

"Oh, shut up." Fox rolled his eyes, while internally admitting it.

"You guys coming?" Slippy asked as the elevator cabin arrived.

The three bunched in and made it to the deck. When the entered, they were greeted with ROB, who said that they had some jobs already available courtesy of Corneria. Most of them were either escort missions or helping locals on planets to fend off pirates. So, of course, Fox picked the more dangerous one for the better pay.

Fox didn't want to throw Krystal in blindly, so he thought it best for her to stay back on the bridge to watch how they fly and take down targets. Good visual learning before she jumps into simulation training.

As Fox announced the acceptance of their job on Titania, the Great Fox lifted from Sauria and the ship broke through the clouds. Moments later, they found themselves in endless space and Peppy and Krystal entered the deck.

"I though Pep might have gotten lost with how long he took showing you around," Fox joked.

"I'm old, but not that old to not remember where I am. And hopefully I never get there." Peppy shook his head.

"And hopefully he didn't bore you with his stories." Falco chimed in.

"I have interesting stories to tell, thank you very much." The hare howled at the avian.

"Such as?" Krystal asked with much interest.

So, Peppy told his stories. From his small upbringings to meeting James. It was here where Fox went to full attention. Peppy talked about the start of Star Fox and how close they were and how he was honored to be an honorary member of the McClouds. Falco was leaning against a chair reading a magazine, but was also listening in. As did Slippy from the other side of the deck.

Krystal was at wonder at Peppy's stories. She looked down to Fox, who was sitting in the captain's chair and was also listening, even if he's heard most of them.

_Fox. _She reached out to him

Fox was thrown off by hearing her, but he responded back. _Yes?_

_Thank you._

_For what? _A smile was forming on Fox.

_For taking me in. And giving me a chance to prove myself. _

Fox looked up to Krystal and she had small tears forming. Peppy was still talking, but could see that they lost in themselves. The two foxes returned to Peppy as they let him continue his story. ROB announced that they would reach their destination within a couple of hours and Fox explained to Krystal what would happen. She agreed that she was new to this and she would watch from above.

Krystal looked out to the stars that she dreamed of seeing up close. She marveled as he Great Fox kept moving along through space, and a new chapter in Star Fox was about to begin.

* * *

A/N: So, here we are. The final chapter. This was one wild ride and I actually can't believe I made it this far.

Just want to thank those who followed and reviewed my story from beginning to end. Made some new friend along the way and don't worry, I got more stuff coming soon. More stories that I want to tell and to those in the Foxhole: #BerylliumBoys for life!

Thanks for all and see y'all later.

Until next time, Stabby out.


End file.
